Howard University’s marching band has cut its normally joyful sound, refusing to perform amid boiling discrepancies with the university’s administration.

The S.H.O.W.T.I.M.E. Marching Band announced their protest during Saturday’s football game against Savannah State University. It started with a performance in all black. Later, the band refused to perform in the 5th period.

“As a band, we decided to wear all black for the lack of a budget—more specifically scholarships for the band program—and to shed light on the lack of financial support for the student body,” a band member told the crowd. “Until the university addresses these issues, we will not support this university with our musicianship.”

Today, band members silently gathered with their instruments in an administrative building.

And they mean silent….. #silentshowtime

A video posted by Miles Brown (@_miles2go) on

“It’s not okay when you have people out here trying to simply ask for answers and are not able to receive this simple request,” Terrell Tiendrebeogo, senior biology major from Bowie, Md. and spokesman for the movement told TheeTru1Project.“We [Showtime Band members] love what we do and have been very patient [with the administration].”

In September, a wave of #takebackHU posts surfaced on social media, followed by a peaceful protest in the school’s administration building. In addition to not receiving financial aid and scholarship funding, student grievances include deteriorating dorm rooms and lack of housing placement in general.

Since Saturday’s protest, Howard University students and supporters have tweeted in solidarity.

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