Protesters gathered near the Thompson Statue on Friday to criticize Ohio State’s affiliation with the defense industry company Anduril. Credit: Willow Lang | Lantern Reporter
Around 20 students and organizers met outside of Thompson Library calling for an end to Ohio State’s partnership with military defense company, Anduril.?
The protest, which began at roughly 3 p.m., was organized by Ohio Youth for Climate Justice, Columbus Revolutionary Student Union, the Ohio Student Association, People’s Defense Columbus and No Ohio Anduril Plant.?
Anduril, a defense company founded in 2017, has been a sponsor of Ohio State athletics since September 2025, a partnership meant to bring local awareness to the company as a way to create jobs in its Arsenal 1 drone production facility, according to prior Lantern reporting.
Organizers spoke at the Thompson statue for roughly 20 minutes, leading chants of “no more blood money on campus” and “When the water we drink is under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back.”
Finn Judd, a fourth-year in environmental policy, is an organizer with Ohio Youth for Climate Justice. He said what brought him to the protest is the community he found in advocacy, and frustration with Anduril’s involvement on-campus.
“You know, there’s been a lot of outrage and especially being so involved in student democracy and student advocacy, I felt like it was my duty as a student here, that is paying to be here, to show up and support causes like this,” Judd said.
At about 3:30, the crowd began to march off of the oval and up Lane Avenue, before turning onto Olentangy River road and continuing up towards the Fawcett Event Center to hand-deliver letters written to Ohio State Athletics Director Ross Bjork and Brad Barnett, Vice President of Ohio State Sports Properties.
The letters voiced concern over the impact of the facilities the company maintains on the land in the surrounding area, and also listed demands that Ohio State terminate its partnership with the company and hold meetings with the community so that these concerns may be heard.
Three organizers as well as two legal observers were allowed to enter the building to deliver the letters beyond the public area of the building.?
Ohio State police officers escorted protestors in and out of the building without issue.?
While organizers went inside to deliver the letters, a small group of protesters remained on the sidewalk outside the Fawcett Event Center, continuing chants until they regrouped at around 4:20.
Several protestors attempted to make phone calls to Chad Schroeder, the director of business development for Ohio State Athletics, and left messages calling for the end of the University’s association with Anduril and reading environmental impact statements.
Before officially dispersing, several remaining protestors left chalk messages on the sidewalk outside the center calling for an end to the partnership.
A faculty member with the Campus engagement team gave organizers instructions to stop the chalking, as it is a violation of university signage policy. However, they were allowed to finish and dispersed without incident around 4:30.
Judd said the main goal of the protest was to keep students informed and make their voices heard. He said that though the group’s mission is climate justice, their mission extends beyond the environment.?
“It also includes equity, inclusion and diversity, and making sure people are welcome in all areas that need to be and want to be. Supporting people from the bottom up,” Judd said.
