Rat Queen Leads Students Through BU Union
Boston's self-styled Rat Queen guided Boston University students through the George Sherman Union after an Instagram poll chose the campus as her next target.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in College Life
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The Rat Queen, a Boston resident known to the government as Sariah Wertman, led Boston University students through the George Sherman Union on Thursday night. The walk followed an Instagram poll of her more than 20,000 followers, which named Boston University as the next location for the rats to take over.
Why it matters
The stunt draws attention to Boston's rat problem, with more than 6,000 rat-related complaints reported this year, and to the city's recently enacted Boston Rodent Action Plan. It also shows how a local street performer can turn a civic concern into campus community activity.
The Rat Queen has more than 20,000 Instagram followers, and Boston has received more than 6,000 rat-related complaints this year according to NBC10 Boston. The stub does not indicate how these complaint figures compare with prior years.
The players
Rat Queen (Sariah Wertman)
A Boston street performer who walks the city in a papier-mâché rat mask and runs a large Instagram following built around rat-themed public stunts.
Boston University
A private research university in Boston whose students joined the Rat Queen's walk through the George Sherman Union after winning her Instagram poll.
The details
Dressed in a papier-mâché rat mask and carrying a kazoo disguised as a trumpet, the Rat Queen led students into the GSU and stopped to observe the piano in the GSU Link before heading to the food court. Her stated mission is to spread joy, cultivate community and inspire unconventional silly art.
Timeline
Oct. 17: The Rat Queen held a 'Rat Cult Meeting' on the Boston Common.
This year: Boston received more than 6,000 rat-related complaints.
Thursday night: The Rat Queen led students through the George Sherman Union.
Culture Shift
The Rat Queen's stunt reflects a wider pattern of Boston residents turning civic annoyances like the city's rat problem into playful public art, following the recent enactment of the Boston Rodent Action Plan. Her Instagram-driven format shows how social media now lets individual performers shape local conversation around city issues.
Boston students can expect campus walks and public stunts tied to the city's rat problem to continue as the Rat Queen keeps polling her followers on new targets. Residents dealing with rat complaints may see the Boston Rodent Action Plan's measures become more visible in their neighborhoods.
The takeaway
Community engagement with a city's everyday problems can take playful forms, and a campus event can turn a public concern into a shared experience. Students interested in local activities can look for similar events through their university's student life channels.
Further reading
For more campus stories, see College Life coverage of student activities in Boston.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Daily Free Press.
Live Poll
Do you support the city's new rodent action plan to combat rat sightings?
