SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV WOWK — A tense scene unfolded at Shepherd University on Thursday night when protesters briefly interrupted a forum featuring West Virginia’s U.S. Senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito. Fortunately, there were no injuries.
The protest occurred during the Beyond Pepperoni Rolls event, moderated by MetroNews host Hoppy Kercheval. The demonstrators, concerned about climate change and the senators’ support for the fossil fuel industry, took the stage and disrupted the forum. Campus police quickly intervened to clear them.
One protester shouted, West Virginians are dying while you rake in fossil fuel profits. How dare you?
The senators, who have faced similar disruptions before, commented on the incident. Sen. Manchin described the protesters as a radical group that refuses to engage in dialogue. Sen. Capito recalled a previous encounter with a similar group and expressed frustration over the ongoing protests about issues like the MVP Pipeline.
No arrests were made, and no damage was reported. The protesters were identified as an outside group, with no involvement from Shepherd University students or staff.
The forum continued after the disturbance, with both senators and Kercheval unharmed.
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