See below the transcript for Kenneth J. Harvey’s film trailer “MATT HOLDS UP A SIGN”:
November 1972 Memorial University student occupation of the Arts & Administration building
Bob Buckingham: So, we closed off the building, locked all the doors. We had guards on these doors, there’s only one way of getting in and out of the building. We shut down finance, we shut down the Registrar’s office. We chained every single entrance in this building. This was full, it was full down that way and full down that way. We fed anywhere from 200 to 1000 people. We ended up staying here for 11 days.
Kenneth Harvey: And what were the repercussions to you from Memorial University?
Bob Buckingham: To me? Well, there was nothing.
October 1980 Parkway Vigil
Kenneth Harvey: None of these fences were here. There were no overhead walkways here. A group of us came back from the Thompson Student Centre and started walking back and forth across the crosswalk. That stopped traffic. Police were called and tried to disperse us; it didn’t happen. The traffic was being detoured down Elizabeth Avenue, so we decided Monday to go down Elizabeth Avenue and block Elizabeth Avenue as well. Both main arteries were shut down. People were trying to move us with their cars. Cars were actually pushing us, and we were banging on them. But we shut down the city, nobody could move in St. John’s, nobody could move to Memorial University.
What type of action did Memorial University take against you for protesting?
Kenneth Harvey: Nothing.
December 2021 Matt holds up a sign
Matt Barter: It was a pretty small audience, 30 to 40 people maybe. So, the podium was around here. When Dr. Timmons got up to speak, I also got up, I held up this sign and then after that I sat down.
Kenneth Harvey: What sort of action did MUN take against you?
Matt Barter: They banned me from campus for 3 months and then they implemented a one-year probation sentence.
Kenneth Harvey: And what did the one-year probation sentence entail?
Matt Barter: They still haven’t told me that even though they implemented it in March like 5 months ago.
Matt Barter: They seem to really want to punish.
Kenneth Harvey: Why?
Matt Barter: Because they think I’m an easy target.
Kenneth Harvey: But for what reason? Why are you an easy target?
Matt Barter: Because I’m a student who has autism, so they think of me as an easy target. I think that MUN sees me as somebody who they thought wouldn’t be able to stand up for themselves.
Matt Barter 