Racist Signs Found On NY Campus Spark Outrage And Police Probe

A group of hand-made racist signs were discovered this week around the campus of the State University of New York, leading to outrage from students and a police investigation.

In the signs acts such as “lynching” were promoted while a water fountain had a “colored only” sign posted above it on the universities New Paltz campus.

Some students told the Times Herald-Record that they believed the signs were in response to Black Solidarity Day which occurred in early November.

Responding quickly to the signs New Paltz president William Richards sent out the following email:

“We condemn such acts as contrary to our community values, hopes, and aspirations.” Richard goes on to write, “While we cannot know the motivations of the person responsible for these acts, having them splinter our community may well feed into their goals. We must not allow that to happen.”

Police officials say they have several strong leads although they have not arrested anyone in connection with the signs at this time.

James Rollins Sr., president of the Middletown chapter of the NAACP says he believes the signs were meant to intimidate the only two black maintenance workers on the campus:

“A noose being hung in the presence of an African-American person is the same as a swastika being placed in the presence of a Jewish person.”

What was your first thought after reading about the signs and their messages?