{"id":299,"date":"2023-03-14T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-14T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theredlandsbulldog.com\/?p=299"},"modified":"2023-12-14T17:05:30","modified_gmt":"2023-12-15T01:05:30","slug":"student-event-interrupted-by-racial-harassment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theredlandsbulldog.com\/index.php\/2023\/03\/14\/student-event-interrupted-by-racial-harassment\/","title":{"rendered":"Student Event Interrupted by Racial Harassment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Black Student Union and First Generation Family student organizations were hosting a movie showing when two underage females, unrelated to the university, barged into the event location and yelled racial slurs at the students present at around 7 p.m. on Feb. 9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe were all shocked that that happened,\u201d said Niala Cole \u201825, one of the students who were at the scene of the incident. \u201cAt first we thought it was students wanting to come and watch the movie but then they yelled [the slur] at us. So we were like, did that really happen? And since we were confused, we decided to follow them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Bulldog Room, where the movie showing was occurring.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After calling Public Safety, Cole said she and a group of students got up and followed the girls outside, while others stayed back in Hunsaker Plaza. Cole\u2019s group split up into two, one group heading towards Melrose Hall and the other towards Irvine Commons, asking those present if they had seen the description of the perpetrators. The students caught up to one of them near the Chapel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd then from there, she was just threatening us,\u201d Cole recounted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The students continued chasing the individual off-campus while she yelled profanities at them. Cole estimated that it was about 20 minutes from when they first called Public Safety to when two officers arrived at the scene and stopped the offending individual. Instructed to stay at a distance, the students watched as the officers talked to the individual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd then eventually the [Redlands Police Department] came and they were only there for like a minute, and I feel like they spoke to her in less than a minute and then after that they let her go free,\u201d Cole said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The other individual was not found.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aeon Bantu \u201826, another student present at the movie showing, recalled feeling \u201cconfused\u201d and \u201cdisappointed\u201d when the incident occurred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut mostly we were just hurt,\u201d Bantu expressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sentiment was shared by University President Krista Newkirk in a university-wide announcement email responding to what happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis incident is deeply distressing and will not be tolerated on our campus. As a University community, we condemn all racially motivated harassment and realize that, sadly, there is still so much work to do to fight racism in our communities,\u201d writes Newkirk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other students also reported a suspicious man near the event that same night, but this case is still under review by Public Safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next day, on Feb. 10, the Office of Campus Diversity and Inclusion hosted a support session in the Hunsaker building. Among those present were Senior Diversity and Inclusion Officer Christopher Jones, Vice President for Administration Finance and Administration Michelle Rogers, Director of Event and Office Services Mackenzie Dawes, and many other faculty and staff at the university.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese are the times we have to rally around one another,\u201d Jones said. \u201cI can\u2019t imagine this is some random event. Somebody put some thought and desire to be hurtful and cause damage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Addressing the university community gathered at the session, Interim Chief of Public Safety Andrew Flores explained the challenges that occurred the previous night. The two Public Safety officers present at the scene tried to keep the individual for as long as they could, but as Public Safety is only private security and not the police, the officers could not detain her, Flores said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, according to Flores, the patrol cars were at the station while the officers were not, so they decided to pursue the perpetrator on foot instead of going back to the Willis parking lot, which explains the delayed response that had been raised as a point of grievance for many students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was a decision made on the spot,\u201d Flores said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Receiving many calls from different students with conflicting information also hindered the officers\u2019 ability to assess the situation, Rogers added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Bulldog has reached out to the university for an interview with the two Public Safety officers, Sergeant Erika Edwards and Officer Tony Bonilla. However, they could not be reached due to scheduling conflicts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When asked how the university community will be able to prevent these individuals from coming into campus and harassing students again, Flores stated that Public Safety has the name and picture of the female on their no-trespassing list. However, this information cannot be given out because the individual is a minor, Flores said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the motive behind the girls\u2019 actions is still unclear, Flores doubted that her action could indicate larger coordination from an organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is learned behavior,\u201d said Flores. \u201cIt\u2019s the home she comes from.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nonetheless, Flores assured the crowd that Public Safety would be working with the Redlands Police Department to look into that possibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flores then discussed several future solutions to prevent similar incidents from reoccurring. One solution is to implement a card access system, which would stop persons unaffiliated with the university from coming into campus buildings. Flores also mentioned expanding camera installation on campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the immediate aftermath, however, Flores suggested student organizations could request Public Safety to lock the venue door before their events started and appoint a member to be a \u201cdoor monitor.\u201d Flores also discouraged students from directly confronting harassers like they did the previous night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This point from Flores caused a wave of dissenting voices, with one student expressing her dissatisfaction and distress at Public Safety\u2019s dismissal of their concerns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhether 25 or 14 years old, [the university students] have the right to feel what they feel,\u201d responded Admissions Operations Manager Joy Clark. \u201cDo not villainize them. […] We will not let hate win.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Agreeing with Clark, Flores explained that such cautionary measures are for the unfortunate likelihood that these individuals would be armed. Instead of direct confrontation, students should \u201cfollow from a safe distance\u201d and be a \u201cgood witness.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other members of the crowd also suggested further prevention measures. Elizabeth Beck \u201823 proposed adding a checkbox on 25live, the university\u2019s event-planning system, that would request Public Safety\u2019s presence at student events. This was especially relevant as Beck suspected the offending individuals had found out about the event through the organization\u2019s social media sites. The event location had previously changed from the Hunsaker lounge on the first floor of the Hunsaker building to the Bulldog room on the second floor due to technical issues, and this change was only communicated through social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The session ended with a strong message from Clark, urging BSU and First Gen to host the movie night again as a way to \u201cgrow together in peace and love.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLet\u2019s all come together,\u201d Clark said. \u201cWe\u2019re not gonna let them win. […] Don\u2019t let them steal your joy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Andrew Flores gives the following advice to students should an incident like this happen again:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is important that all members of the University community must take reasonable precautions to ensure their greatest level of safety both on and off campus. If you see something suspicious, report it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n