Northwestern University Anti-CIA Protest photographs, 1988-1989

The 1988 Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) recruitment protests were one of the major events of the 1988-89 academic year at Northwestern University. Multiple student organizations, such as the Committee for Latin America, vehemently opposed CIA presence on campus and started calling for action and/or protests. The CIA’s recruitment interviews at Scott Hall on November 14 proved to be the target for that action with protestors forming a picket line outside the south entrance. Counter-protestors emerged in favor of what they saw as the free speech rights of the CIA and students who wished to interview with them.

Arrests began at approximately 2:15 PM. One report stated that protestor’s permit to assemble expired at 2:00 PM, but protestors stating they had no reason to expect the arrests. In total, 16 people were arrested: 10 students and 6 non-students.

The Daily Northwestern’s reporting on the incident continued well into the summer as debates over the fate of the arrested protestors and their methods continued. The struggle of the arrestees attracted some attention from Evanston politicians and residents. All students were cleared by a University Disciplinary Committee for their actions and all 16 protestors arrested eventually pled guilty to various minor misdemeanors.