On the first day of the semester Tuesday, seven anti-immigration posters that University of Vermont officials deemed “offensive and racist” were hung around the central green on the Burlington campus.
The posters pictured three different people of color with the words: “Stop importing problems, start exporting solutions.” Next to each picture, there are three words: attempted murder, rape and murder. The posters immediately prompted new conversations about racial justice on campus, a theme that has recurred frequently since September.
The pictures on the flyers are of all local suspects, according to a photo posted by the Vermont Cynic. The top photo appears to be Abukar Ibrahim, who is accused of attempted murder for attacking a woman with a machete, the second is Robert Rosario, who was recently acquitted of rape, and the third is Aita Gurung, who is accused of murdering his wife with a cleaver
The university administration, including President Tom Sullivan, Provost David Rosowsky, Vice President Wanda Heading Grant and Vice Provost Annie Stevens, sent a campus-wide letter condemning the posters, a move that drew support from student leaders.
“It’s very xenophobic, racist and white nationalist at its core,” said student leader Z McCarron, who found the posters.
Student Government President Chris Petrillo said that this incident is similar to another recent event involving posters, and that both were aimed at increasing divisiveness on campus. In November, posters that said “It’s Okay To Be White,” were put up around UVM. The posters were part of a national campaign started by white nationalist groups and promoted online.
Petrillo said the attempt at divisiveness will not work at UVM. “These posters will not change our campus climate,” he said.
Petrillo said if anything, the posters have reminded campus communities to stand together to combat racism.
Similar posters have appeared on various college campuses over the past year, including Penn State.
The new posters targeting immigration come after a semester of conversations about racism on UVM’s campus, including the emergence of the student organization NoNamesForJustice, whose leaders have been negotiating a list of demands with the administration since September.
The group was started after a sophomore who stole a Black Lives Matter flag in September 2016 was allowed back on campus for fall semester 2017. More than 200 students marched to protest that student’s return in late September, when they first gave the demands to administration officials.
A leader of NoNamesForJustice said Tuesday the group had not prepared a comment about the latest poster incident.
After finding the poster, McCarron, who is a member of the group, took one of the flyers off the door of the Waterman building and brought it to the president’s wing of that building to inform officials there.
McCarron, on behalf of the student activist group NoNamesforJustice left a note: “Found this posted on door of Waterman.” The note called it a “prime example of the failure of this community and institution to disempower white supremacy,’ adding, “Happy MLK Day.” The letter is signed NoNamesForJustice.
McCarron the group did not think it a coincidence that the posters went up on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
On Oct. 1, the university sent out an email that stated an incident of alleged threats against students of color was being investigated. The student was cited on a charge of disorderly conduct and brought to court.
In December, a judge ruled that there was not enough evidence to charge the student.
The posters followed a highly publicized incident last week, when President Donald Trump, speaking at a meeting in Washington about immigration, allegedly referred to El Salvador, Haiti and African nations as “shithole countries.” Trump since has denied using that phrase.
McCarron tied the poster incident at UVM to Trump’s alleged comments.
“Our national context emboldens racism everywhere,” McCarron said.
