Dozens of students staged a sit-in protest on the campus of Eastern Michigan University overnight.
Several students live-streamed the protest which took place at the EMU Student Center on 900 Oakwood Street in Ypsilanti.
The protest comes after recent acts of racist vandalism have appeared on campus.
A rally took place at Ford Hall at 11 a.m.
It was held by faculty and a large number of black students and colleagues showed up as well.
“If someone graffitis on your house though, they crap on your door,” said Professor Andrew Maniotes to the crowd. “We are right, they are wrong and that’s where we stand up to this.”
The campus has had three hate filled spray painted messages reported there.
“It’s upsetting to us,” said staff member Phyllis Mason. “Like people said it’s our house but it’s their house and they are paying tuition here and they deserve better and they deserve to know that we are here supporting them.”
EMU officials say they have about 800 surveillance cameras all over campus. It’s not clear if the vandal was captured on video committing the crime. $10,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to an arrest.
but officials are confident someone will be caught soon.
“These people need to be caught,” said freshman Charles Graham. they are getting away. This has happened 3, 4 times…and no one has been charged.
The crowd was made of up people of various racial background, all standing in solidarity.
For Mason, a white staff member, it is important for all races to be involved.
“People are not attacking white people about their race. They are attacking black people. They are attacking Muslims… They are attacking people they are scared of because they don’t know anybody outside of their own white world.”
A teach-in is scheduled by faculty to take place November 14th, all day long at McKinney Hall on campus.
