ANN ARBOR, MI (WXYZ) — According to a University of Michigan dispatcher, a statue of Bo Schembechler in front of Schembechler Hall was splattered with red paint Tuesday night with the words "Bo Knew #hailtothevictims" written beside it.
According to an email, the person responsible is an anonymous local resident who says the act was done in solidarity with the Hail to the Victims campaign.
"Bo Schembechler is long seen as an iconic Michigan coach, but he knew that Robert Anderson, the team's doctor in the 1970s and 1980s, was sexually assaulting countless players each year. When Bo's son confronted him about his own assault, Bo punched him and told him to keep quiet," the anonymous person said in an email. "Bo pulled strings and bent over backwards to ensure that Anderson could keep his job. It is time for the world to know that Bo is responsible for the abuse of innumerable Michigan football players."
The university released a statement Wednesday:
"We understand and appreciate the passionate advocacy on behalf of those who were abused by the late Robert Anderson. But the vandalism to the University of Michigan statue of Bo Schembechler will be investigated fully in order to hold those responsible accountable for their actions. We continue to work toward fair compensation for the Anderson survivors through the confidential, court-supervised mediation process and we are working every day to make our campus safer for every member of our community."
