MU demonstrators rally against Kavanaugh nomination

A large group of demonstrators gathered a Speakers Circle on the University of Missouri campus Friday afternoon to push for the rejection of Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination.

Many of the demonstrators were wearing black, a color which is commonly associated with support for sexual assault survivors. Some of them said they were assault survivors motivated by their own experiences to rally against Kavanaugh’s nomination. Some of the protesters were holding a large sign with “RESIST” written on it.

“Having these women speak out today against the violence that has been perpetrated against them is powerful,” Demonstrator Laura Wacker said. “It is really empowering to all women because I really don’t know anybody who hasn’t been assaulted in some way and it’s very powerful.”

A vote on Kavanaugh’s nomination is expected to take place in the full Senate on Saturday. Accusations of sexual assault from his high school and college years have dogged his nomination and led to an FBI investigation ahead of the confirmation vote.

The Senate held a cloture vote Friday meant to force a vote on the confirmation. Missouri’s U.S. senators were split on the vote: Democrat Claire McCaskill voted no, while Republican Roy Blunt voted yes.