A protest is forming outside the Stillwater Public Schools administration building after all athletic events were canceled earlier in the day.

According to a reporter on scene, athletes and parents gathered hoping to speak with Superintendent Marc Moore.

The crowd, which numbers in the dozens, was chanting “Let us play.”

The large group has moved to the main entrance and is now chanting “Let us play!” It’s led by what appears to be the football team. #okpreps pic.twitter.com/dyKg2X5pZ8

— Jimmy Gillispie (@jgillispie_stw) September 14, 2020

Stillwater last week moved to Red due to an increase in the daily average of COVID-19 cases for Payne County. The move shut down not only in-person classes, but all campus buildings.

The decision to cancel athletics came Monday. It affects all sports, but also a highly anticipated match-up for the Pioneers’ regular season rematch of the state football title game against Bixby.

“It’s really disappointing,” head football coach Tucker Barnard told the News Press. “This is something we’ve looked forward to for several months. Our kids were excited about this game. A lot of people in our community were excited for this game, and a lot of people around the state were excited for this game. It’s really a shame that it’s not going to happen.

“… We are COVID free. We’ve not had any transmission in our team or in any of our teams that I’m aware of. I think we’ve done a really good job of doing our part with the way that we’re working to sanitize and keep kids apart as much as possible.”

The story will be updated.