Updated: Thursday, 9 a.m.
A press release from the Manhattan Alliance for Peace & Justice says there will be an Anti-White Nationalist Rally at Bosco Plaza on the K-State Campus at 8:30 p.m. Thursday night.
The rally is in reaction to various posters found on campus Wednesday morning promoting white nationalism.
Participants are asked to wear purple and bring candles. They are also asked to spread the message on social media with the hashtags #StandInSolidarity and #PurpleIsFamily.
KMAN’s Cathy Dawes spoke with K-State Black Student Union President Darrell Reese. Her interview with him can be listened to below:
K-State Student Body President Jack Ayres and Student Body Vice President Olivia Baalman released a joint statement Wednesday afternoon after various posters were discovered on campus Wednesday morning promoting white nationalism.
This isn’t the first occurrence of such messaging this year. A noose hanging from a tree was found on campus in May.
Please see the statement below regarding the hateful posters found on campus this morning. pic.twitter.com/xb9PEJPnYi
— K-State SBP & VP (@KStateSBP_SBVP) September 13, 2017
“This morning, we were notified that there were multiple white nationalist propaganda posters found across campus,” the joint statement said. “We received pictures of these posters and read the ignorant, hateful, words and slogans that were printed and attached to trees on campus that we love. We’re appalled by the hate contained in the posters and other propaganda found on our campus this morning. We must unequivocally stand as a student body against this type of hatred.”
More examples of the posters found this morning at K-State. The Administration is taking them down already #KState pic.twitter.com/oRqPwoDbOn
— Lucas Peterson (@petey_224) September 13, 2017
Ayres and Baalman are calling on students to wear purple Thursday as a show of solidarity against the posters and those behind them.
“Tomorrow, we ask you to #StandInSolidarity against the repugnant posters found on campus today,” they said. “Please join our community by wearing purple tomorrow to show our commitment to an inclusive campus. We encourage you to take action civilly, and stand up for any situations of injustice you see.”
BREAKING: White nationalist posters spark campus controversy https://t.co/tbcWSWxNp2 #altright #freedomofspeech #whitenationalists pic.twitter.com/lX4IKLRSz9
— K-State Collegian (@kstatecollegian) September 13, 2017
Ayres and Baalman also addressed those who put up the posters.
“These words and actions you have imposed on our community are not the Wildcat Way,” the statement said. “These are acts of discrimination and they are not tolerable on our campus. This could be your opinion, and yes, you are entitled to your own opinion. But, we want to clearly state, that we disagree with it. We disagree with you. We truly believe that the K-State community can come together against the hate you have expressed and strong in opposition.”
Jeffery Morris, K-State’s Vice President of Communications and Marketing, told KSNT Wednesday afternoon the people who posted the flyers did not go through the proper channels.
“We have very strict policies about where people can post things, and a process to go through to get things posted in approved places on campus,” Morris said.
While Morris expressed opposition to the message of the posters, he did tell KSNT they may have been approved if gone through the correct protocol.
“These do not represent our values,” Morris said. “At the same time we respect the right of free speech. We are a public university and people have a right to express their opinions.”
