MSU protest at homecoming met with shouts, racial slurs

Motivated by recent fatal police shootings, Missouri State University students marched silently through the homecoming festivities with the goal of starting a dialogue on race relations.

Some in the crowd responded — according to protesters and the university — with anger and racial slurs.

"People were saying, 'Go back to St. Louis,' 'You don't belong here.' People were being called the N-word and people were making gun gestures," said Jakal Burrell-El, an MSU senior and organizer for Homecoming Blackout, Saturday's demonstration. He said he recognized some of the students verbally attacking the group, but because he was wearing a mask, they did not recognize him.

"When it happens on your own campus, it's kind of hard to deal with;... Some of the comments that we got reiterated the whole need for this protest in the first place."

The university issued a statement Tuesday that it does not tolerate harassment of individuals practicing free speech. The statement said, "The University does not condone actions or comments directed at Homecoming Blackout participants that were inconsistent with this commitment of inclusion and mutual respect."

This was one of two university public statements related to the protest. Over Twitter, Athletic Director Kyle Moats apologized for ordering the removal of the group's chalked protest messages at BearFest Village.

He later told the News-Leader, "That was my fault ... we were wrong in what we did."

Burrell-El said the chalking was along the tailgating path near the football stadium and read "Black Lives Matter," "Stop Killing Us," "Homecoming Blackout" and "Speak Up." The students also chalked body outlines.

He said the removal of the chalk messages was "demoralizing."

"Since it was silent protest, the chalking was important to coincide with what we were trying to get across with our message," Burrell-El said.

Moats' message was shared through the university's official Twitter account. Suzanne Shaw, MSU vice president for marketing and communications, said the chalked messages were protected by university policy. "We were incorrect in removing the sidewalk chalking."

The students said a message nearby saying, "Go Royals" was not washed away.

Moats said he ordered the chalk removed because he thought the comments were incendiary and inappropriate. He said he plans to apologize in person to the protest organizers.

Burrell-El said the insults and racial slurs continued throughout the 1½-hour demonstration. About 34 students protested.

Despite the hurdles the group faced, he said the demonstration was successful.

"I think everything that transpired led to more dialogue for what we have to do at the university level and what student leaders have to do," he said. "Some people questioned having the event at homecoming. If we had this at a normal event, none of this would have happened.... We're starting to get some ground in moving in the right direction."

Burrell-El said coming to MSU was a culture shock because only about 5 percent of students are black. "You can't have cultural competency if you don't have representation."

Mike Jungers, MSU's dean of students, said he met with the students before the homecoming demonstration.

He said he didn't want to discourage them from protesting, but wanted to warn them about the negative feedback they might receive.

"I was worried that that might happen and it did happen and I understand that's very painful for the students and it tells me we still have a lot of work to do as a university," he said. "It may have been a minority of people, but it's still hurtful and it is evidence of misunderstanding."

Jungers said he saw the students protesting during tailgating and thought it was peaceful and well-organized. He said the students did not violate any university policies. He was not sure why the students received so much negative response, but said it might have been because very few protests happen on campus.

Briana Simmons, editor-in-chief of The Black Bear, which reports on African-American issues, said she and two other reporters were covering the event.

She said the protesters remained silent throughout the demonstration and marched in single-file lines and in pairs throughout BearFest Village.

The group then went toward a central location near the football stadium and gathered in a circle with a group of student lying down in the middle of the circle, which she said represented dead bodies.

"I heard some (tailgaters) using profanity ... and some people clapped for them," Simmons said. "It was a very divided reaction."

Simmons said the protest seemed to have met its goal. "It's really provoked conversations in the classrooms."

Addison Reed, MSU student body vice president, said she's received a lot of feedback on the protest. She said some students said it was a powerful way to raise awareness while others expressed confusion and fear of the protest.

Reed said the protest was a discussion topic at Monday's Student Government Association cabinet meeting.

"There is a need for diverse students to come together to talk about these issues and allow for a full range of cultures to be represented," she said. "SGA also hopes to meet with the students who were part of the protest and see what the organization can do for them. SGA wants to ensure that cultural competence is upheld at this university."

Burrell-El said the bettering race relations on campus cannot be just rhetoric.

"It's something that's being talked about, but I'm not sure everyone knows the practical means to get there," he said.

The protest experience was "eye-opening," Burrell-El said, and it reaffirmed the importance of his message.

"When lives are taken, they're still lives, and if there could have been an alternative method of force used, it could change the outcome.

"Black lives matter in America."

MSU's statement on the protest

"Conversation on student protest: Missouri State University is committed to ensuring that its campus is a welcoming and inclusive environment where all members of its community are treated with respect. The University does not condone actions or comments directed at Homecoming Blackout participants that were inconsistent with this commitment of inclusion and mutual respect. Accordingly, the University will continue to take appropriate actions to address diversity-related concerns.

Moreover, it should be clear that the University does not condone harassment or other inappropriate behavior targeted toward individuals exercising their free speech rights. Concerns should be directed to the University's Office for Institutional Equity and Compliance at 417-836-4252."