Purdue Fort Wayne students condemn 'hate flyers' posted around campus

Stickers and posters promoting the white nationalist group Patriot Front appeared across Purdue University Fort Wayne Saturday morning. Students say that hatred has no place on campus.

Posted: Jan 24, 2021 4:54 PM
Updated: Jan 24, 2021 6:36 PM

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WFFT) - Stickers and posters promoting the white nationalist group "Patriot Front" appeared across Purdue University Fort Wayne Saturday morning.

Students say that hatred has no place on campus.

 

The university released a statement saying:

“This is unacceptable. Purdue Fort Wayne has no tolerance for this behavior or any speech that is intended to threaten, demean, or marginalize any members of our campus community. We are in the process of removing the remaining materials and investigating their origin.”

Sophomore Sean Findley says he was shocked when he saw them.

“This campus is generally very loving and accepting and it was such a surprise to see,” he said. 

The Patriot Front flyers said things like “Conquered not stolen” and “Better dead than red.”

“It generally doesn’t take much research to find out that Patriot Front, the group that put up the flyers are just white supremacists,” Findley said. 

PFW junior Jack Rumschlag is concerned about what’s to come after this incident.

“I imagine the stickers were for them to get attention on their website and possibly get people to get interested in the group and possibly join the white supremacy group. But I have no idea if they plan on coming back now that their stickers have been removed,” he said. 

Rumschlag thinks the stickers are a response to the transition in the presidential office.

“A lot of it came from all of the discourse surrounding the recent election and how there’s been a lot of divides, especially among people who’ve fallen into QAnon and all of those beliefs that are super extremist. I think they’re trying to get more people on their side.

Both students say that white supremacists have no place at Purdue Fort Wayne.

“It doesn’t belong here. We’re all about having everyone in here and loving each other and I don’t see any room for any kind of hate at all,” Findley said.

Purdue Fort Wayne says they endorse and support those who are speaking out against any forms of hate on campus.

 

 

Purdue Fort Wayne officials say they fully endorse and support the students, faculty and staff who are rightfully speaking out against any forms of hate.

Posted: Jan 23, 2021 7:20 PM
Updated: Jan 23, 2021 7:26 PM

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WFFT) — School leaders are investigating after stickers and other posters promoting a white nationalist group appeared arcross the Purdue University Fort Wayne campus Saturday morning.

"This morning, we identified several instances of flyers and stickers posted on university property that are clearly meant to threaten and intimidate members of our very diverse community," The university said in a statement Saturday evening. "This is unacceptable. Purdue Fort Wayne has no tolerance for this behavior or any speech that is intended to threaten, demean, or marginalize any members of our campus community."

Purdue Fort Wayne officials say they fully endorse and support the students, faculty and staff who are rightfully speaking out against any forms of hateSchool officials say they are in the process of removing the remaining flyers on campus and are investigating where they came from.