A black tarp with the word “REDACTED” splashed across it went up over Les Wexner’s name at the Wexner Center for the Arts on Friday, and the video traveled fast. Within hours, the clip of Ohio State students hauling the tarp into place had spread online and pumped fresh energy into a simmering campaign to strip the billionaire’s name from the campus. Students and alumni say the stunt nods to newly released Epstein-related documents and a recent congressional deposition that has pushed Wexner back into the spotlight.
Students Hoist ‘REDACTED’ Tarp At The Wex
A video posted by Drew Hanson shows students pulling what appears to be a black tarp reading “REDACTED” over the Wexner Center’s marquee, according to ABC6/WSYX. Hanson told the station he recorded the scene as demonstrators moved toward the building, and the clip has since been widely shared across social media. Protesters in the footage say the move was a reference to the blacked-out sections in Department of Justice releases tied to the Epstein investigation and voiced frustration with the university’s response so far.
Protests Spread Across Campus
The tarp eventually came down, but the larger point stuck around. Students kept targeting Wexner’s name symbolically, crossing out his initials on banners and placing red Xs over signs during an earlier demonstration where roughly 100 people gathered to demand name removals, according to The Lantern. Organizers said that formal requests filed through Ohio State’s official channels had not led to quick action, and several student groups have called for more visible demonstrations to maintain pressure on administrators. The protests have brought together former student-athletes, survivors and campus organizations in public events pushing for change.
How Name Removal Requests Are Handled
The university’s process for stripping a name from a building or program is a five-step review that starts with a standing advisory committee and can end with Board of Trustees approval, according to Ohio State. An Ohio State spokesperson told local outlets that the school has received roughly 500 requests to remove Wexner’s name and that those cases remain under review, according to ABC6/WSYX. Earlier reporting showed about 295 formal requests as of Feb. 18, and Ohio Capital Journal documented that surge following the Department of Justice release. Hoodline has previously put the naming dispute in context around the opening of the university’s new hospital tower; see Wexner name fight heats up.
Why The Moment Matters
The latest wave of campus actions comes after the Department of Justice published millions of pages of Epstein-related records and a congressional deposition of Wexner renewed scrutiny of his long relationship with Epstein, according to Axios. The DOJ said in a public statement that it released roughly 3.5 million responsive pages, including images and videos, under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Wexner has denied knowing about Epstein’s crimes and has not been criminally charged, Axios reports.
Ohio State officials, for their part, have urged students to stay within the lines while the naming requests work through the system. A university spokesperson told local reporters, “We respect our community’s right to speak publicly about issues that are important to them,” according to ABC6/WSYX. For now, that viral tarp video has fused low-tech student action with a broader reputational and legal battle that looks likely to keep the Wexner name in the headlines for weeks to come.
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