Racist messages found on Tennessee college campus were ‘fabricated,' school says
A Tennessee college revealed that racist messages found written on campus were fabricated by a student in an apparent attempt to make Donald Trump supporters look bad.
Rhodes College confirmed to Fox News Digital that a student had admitted to leaving the messages strewn about campus that were found over Thanksgiving break and were being investigated as a hate crime. Instead, it turned out to be yet another race hoax.
"Thanks to the tireless efforts of our Campus Safety officers and the Memphis Police Department, the investigation into the hate crime that occurred recently on our campus has ended with the identification of the perpetrator and the conclusion this incident was fabricated. This individual has admitted responsibility," the statement read.
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It added, "This matter has caused enormous pain to our community, and we are taking the appropriate steps to hold this individual accountable, including all legal avenues that may be available to us."
The school launched an investigation into the racist messages after flyers were reportedly found near its National Pan-Hellenic Council Plaza, a space on campus that honors the school’s nine historically Black Greek organizations.
According to a local Memphis CBS affiliate "Trump Rules" and racial slurs about Black people were written on 13 pieces of paper that were found around that area of campus.
Student and National Pan-Hellenic Council member Lauren Roberts confirmed the content of the racist messages to the outlet days after they were found, adding, "They were vulgar."
Another student condemned the messages, telling WREG, "I didn’t agree with it. I know a lot of my friends who were pretty upset about it."
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The school’s Critical Campus Safety Communications office put out a "Timely Warning" on November 30 to alert students about the racial slur.
It read, "Rhodes College Campus Safety and Institutional Equity are investigating a reported hate crime of intimidation based on racial bias. Writings were found near the NPHC monument on Saturday, November 30, 2024, that contained profanity and a racial slur."
The school provided a statement on the initial discovery, saying, "We are working diligently to identify the person responsible for leaving a message of hateful rhetoric on our campus over the Thanksgiving break. It is still an active investigation. We are a community that is firmly committed to diversity, inclusion, belonging, civility, and respect, and we do not tolerate racial bias or hate speech."