Addressing about 300 distraught students and others gathered on campus, Chancellor Marye Anne Fox promised to get to the bottom of the "dastardly" crime.UC authorities say a female student contacted the school on Friday morning and claimed that she and two other people were responsible. The student was suspended. Campus police are not classifying it as a hate crime, but there are saying the noose was left with the intent to terrorize.
"This is truly a dark day in the history of this university," Fox said through a bullhorn. "It's abhorrent and untenable."
The demonstrators - some in tears, others hoarse from a week of yelling at race-related protests - were not pacified and later occupied a warren of offices next to the locked door of Fox's personal suite for nearly six hours, starting about noon. Fox and her staff left the building.
About 150 students spread out over desks and floors. Some gave fiery speeches and sang protest songs, while also pleading for calm. Pizza and sandwiches were handed out between chants of, "Real pain, real action!"
This latest news is disturbing, but it is encouraging to see the immediate student response, and the demonstration that people aren't just going to sit around and let this hate take hold in their community. More here: UCSD Student Suspended For Hanging Noose. And here: Students storm UC San Diego chancellor's office.
UPDATE: Here's an online petition that's been circulating on behalf of Asians and Asian Americans who stand in solidarity with all who are protesting the racist incidents at UCSD and, more importantly, the systemic forces that support such incidents. Read it and sign it here: Asian-American and Asians of the UC community in solidarity with black students at UCSD.
