Due to “unforeseen circumstances,” the University of Minnesota canceled a special lecture on Tuesday night by Dr. Anthony Fauci, a leader in the U.S. government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The cancellation follows the arrest of more than a dozen pro-Palestine protesters on campus Monday after they occupied a university building. Eleven were arrested Monday afternoon after the university’s chapter of Students for a Democratic Society said it occupied Morrill Hall — right next to Northrop Auditorium, where Fauci was scheduled to lecture.

“The University of Minnesota has made the difficult decision to reschedule tonight’s Distinguished Carlson Lecture featuring Dr. Anthony Fauci,” school officials said in a statement. “Given the importance of this lecture and the unexpected and complicated incidents that occurred on campus in the past 24 hours, University officials determined it best to reschedule to ensure a great experience for attendees and our University community.”

Violence in Morrill Hall

Protesters on Monday entered Morrill Hall, an administrative building, and started spraying paint on security camera lenses, broke interior windows and barricaded entrances around 4 p.m. Monday, according to UMN police. Staff in the building weren’t immediately able to leave the building, according to police.

Protesters had supplies and said they intended to remain in the building until the U divested of Israel and ended its neutrality on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Northrop was already set to have heightened security ahead of the lecture. Attendees were told they’d have to go through metal detectors and present identification matching with the name on their ticket.

The building was scheduled to be closed down between noon and 4 p.m. for a security sweep. A UMN spokesperson said the school “previously established” a security plan with Fauci’s office.

A conservative group called Action 4 Liberty had planned a protest outside the scheduled event, and “security plans for the event considered that information,” a school spokesperson said. The event had been promoted online since earlier this month.

During the pandemic, Fauci drew political criticism from conservative groups for his promotion of COVID-safe practices such as lockdowns, masking and vaccines, especially when governments started mandating some of his recommendations.

UMN officials said tickets for the 6 p.m. event were voided and the lecture will be rescheduled for a later date. The Humphrey School of Public Affairs will provide more information as it’s available, according to a news release.

50-year career in medicine

Fauci had been set to discuss his 50-year career in medicine and efforts to fight viral diseases like HIV/AIDS, swine flu, SARS, Ebola and COVID-19. His remarks were to be followed by a question-and-answer session with Minnesota Public Radio journalist Kathy Wurzer.

In addition to being a key member of the White House’s COVID-19 response team, Fauci, 83, was director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases from 1984 to 2022. In 2008, Fauci received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush for his work to understand and treat HIV/AIDS.

In 2020, the already influential Fauci became a household name from his media appearances as a voice of the medical and scientific community in the government’s response to a new pandemic. He was chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden from 2021 to 2022.

Fauci’s Tuesday lecture was to be hosted by the school’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs. It was to be free and open to the public, but was at capacity and there was no plan for a live stream. Recording was to be prohibited in the event.

Fauci’s canceled appearance is part of a series of lectures called UMN Conversations at Northrop. It’s a new initiative from the U to hold regular speaking events from various school departments in one series.