Marquette offensive stickers investigation, students concerned
MILWAUKEE - Marquette University police are investigating after multiple offensive stickers were found in the heart of campus, most recently Tuesday, May 3.
Students walk down Wisconsin Avenue countless times to get to class, so to find the stickers placed there is making some students feel unsafe.
"Why, as a Black student here, do I have to be constantly reminded that I don’t belong?" said Alauna Rupert.
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FOX6 News crossed paths with Rupert, a pre-med student, as she walked down Wisconsin Avenue on Wednesday – not far from where a sticker was found on a light post outside Cudahy Hall.
"The first reaction I had was shock, like I gasped in the middle of class. I’m like what disgusting human would put that poster up, of like the slave poster," Rupert said.
Offensive sticker placed on light pole on Marquette University campus
Rupert is a member of the Black Student Council, which posted about the sticker on Instagram Monday. Tuesday, police emailed students to say they are investigating. That email read, in part: "Racism and discrimination have no place on our campus."
"I felt like it was like PR control, instead of them actually caring. I feel like the university should have put out a statement before we had to tag them in it and say, like, what is it?" said Rupert.
Offensive sticker placed on light pole on Marquette University campus (Courtesy: Marquette Wire)
Wednesday, another email was sent to students after a similar sticker was found Tuesday night. A student journalist with Marquette Wire took a photo and shared it with FOX6. It shows a campus police officer taking a photo of the sticker before the officer took it down. Rupert hopes it is the last sticker found.
"I know a picture is a picture, but a picture means a thousand words, and that picture right there, that was a whole essay," Rupert said.
In Wednesday's email, Marquette police said they have inspected all other campus light poles and found no other stickers. Police said without a suspect, the university cannot speculate on the meaning or intent behind the images or if the person responsible is a member of the university community.
Offensive sticker placed on light pole on Marquette University campus
Full statement from MUPD:
Marquette University is aware that a racist poster was found displayed on a public light pole on campus along Wisconsin Ave., and it has been removed. As a Catholic, Jesuit institution, we are called to build a nurturing, inclusive community where all people feel safe, supported, welcomed and celebrated. Racism and discrimination have no place on our campus.
The Marquette University Police Department has launched an investigation to determine the parties responsible. Although this poster was found on our campus, at this time we do not know who is responsible for posting it. Please contact MUPD at 414-288-6800 if you have information about this incident.
Marquette pledges to continue to work together as a community to overcome injustice and help make our university anti-racist. We understand this incident may have made people feel unsafe. If you would like support, please seek the services of Campus Ministry, Marquette Counseling Center, the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion, or residence hall staff.
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