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Reports of racist graffiti, hate crimes in Trump’s America

Posted at 3:35 PM, Nov 10, 2016
and last updated 2016-11-10 17:35:10-05

By Holly Yan and Kayla Rodgers

CNN

(CNN) — Fears of heightened bigotry and hate crimes have turned into reality for some Americans after Donald Trump’s presidential win.

Racist, pro-Trump graffiti painted inside a high school. A hijab-wearing college student robbed by men talking about Trump and Muslims.

While Trump has been accused of fostering xenophobia and Islamophobia, some of his supporters have used his words as justification to carry out hateful acts.

Here’s what some Americans are dealing with across the country.

Related: School district responds after Utah students harassed following Trump victory

Graffiti in high school: ‘Trump,’ ‘Whites only,’ ‘White America’

Student Moses Karngbaye said he was terrified to see racist graffiti sprawled inside a bathroom in his Minnesota high school.

“#Go back to Africa” and “Make America great again,” someone wrote on a toilet paper dispenser at Maple Grove Senior High School.

“That’s the first time I honestly felt like crying at school,” Karngbaye told CNN affiliate WCCO.

The bathroom door was also covered with graffiti, including “Whites only,” “White America” and “Trump.”

Karngbaye sent photos of the graffiti to his mother, who recalled another message: “Now the white people are going to take over.”

Denise Karngbaye told WCCO she takes the attack personally.

“I train my kids to respect everybody, regardless of their race, their ethnicity, their background,” she said.

San Diego State University president calls incident ‘hate crime’

A San Diego State University student walking to her car was confronted by two men who made comments about Trump and Muslims, SDSU police said.

“Comments made to the student indicate she was targeted because of her Muslim faith, including her wearing of a traditional garment and hijab,” SDSU President Elliot Hirshman said in a statement.

The men grabbed the student’s purse and backpack and removed her keys. After the student returned from calling the police, her car was gone. The suspects are still at large.

Hirshman called the incident a hate crime.

“We condemn this hateful act and urge all members of our community to join us in condemning such hateful acts,” he said. “Hate crimes are destructive to the spirit of our campus, and we urge all members of our community to stand together in rejecting hate.”

Middle school students: ‘Build the wall!’

A day after Trump was elected, some students at Michigan’s Royal Oak Middle School started chanting in the cafeteria: “Build the wall! Build the wall!”

A video of the chanting, which has been viewed millions of times on social media, appears to stop after a girl mentions the incident is being recorded.

Royal Oaks Schools Superintendent Shawn Lewis-Lakin said school personnel in the cafeteria responded to the incident.

“We are working with our students to help them understand the impact of their words and actions on others in their school community,” the superintendent said in a statement Thursday.

“Our school district and each building in it works every day to be a welcoming community for all, inclusive and caring, where all students know they are valued, safe and supported.”

Graffiti: Neither black lives nor black votes matter

The day after Trump’s victory, someone painted racist messages referencing the election on a wall in Durham, North Carolina.

“Black lives don’t matter and neither does your votes,” the message said, according to CNN affiliate WNCN.

On Thursday, crews came to paint over the graffiti.

Phyllis Terry, whose family owns the JC’s Kitchen restaurant next to the graffiti, told the affiliate she was heartened by the effort to cover up the message.

“I am amazed. I am really touched this morning that the community has rallied together,” she said.

CNN’s Michaela Vincent, Christina Zdanowicz and Donie O’Sullivan contributed to this report.

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