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White nationalist posters removed from Weber State University campus

Posted at 10:36 PM, Aug 28, 2017
and last updated 2017-08-29 09:17:42-04

OGDEN, Utah - Weber State University said white nationalist posters filled with racist hate speech around campus were removed, after the college received complaints about the posters on Sunday.

The next day, members of a college club said they realized the posting of those fliers wasn't the only thing that happened over the weekend.

Adrienne Gillespie Andrews, Chief Diversity Officer for Weber State University said Monday was the first day of school, and there are many posters around campus that promote various events, clubs and resources.

But on Sunday, the school realized someone or a group hung fliers that promoted something else entirely.

"It was disappointing to see," Andrews said.

She said the posters talked "about white nationalism, white pride. Some, just really hostile content."

Pictures of the poster show one of them said, 'COUNTRIES FLOODED WITH NON WHITE IMMIGRANTS.'

Below that line, another line said, 'DIVERSITY IS A CODE WORD FOR WHITE GENOCIDE.'

Another poster stated: 'AREN'T YOU TIRED OF THE ANTI WHITE PROPAGNDA [sic]' followed by, 'LEARN THE ALT-RIGHT.' A QR code linked to a website.

"That website linked to a Neo-Nazi website that has called for ethnic cleansing, genocide," said Lorcan Murphy, President of the Young Democrats of Utah.

Andrews said the dozen or so posters were put in places that violated university policy, including on glass windows and doors and on top of other existing signs.

"It appears that they are external campus posters," she said, and they weren't approved by the university.

Because of that, they were taken down.

But the next morning, Kestin Page noticed something missing as he walked around campus.

"Noticed that, 'Hey, all of my posters are gone,'" he said.

Page said he'd hung up 15 to 20 posters promoting a Weber State College Democrats documentary screening of '13th' on campus.

"The documentary focuses on issues of racial justice," he explained.

When he learned it happened around the same time the Alt-Right posters appeared, he said, "it was definitely disheartening."

"It's not clear who removed them," Andrews said, of Page's posters.

It's a mystery who's behind the two events-- and if they're connected.  But both Andrews and Page said it shows just how important it is to dig into this topic on campus.

Andrews said the university will host events, key note speakers and seminars throughout the year that focus on civility.

Page said the September 25 documentary showing will include a panel to discuss racial inequality in the justice system.

He said a university employee offered to replace the posters for the screening, and they plan to hang new ones on Tuesday.