Click here for updates on this story
Des Moines, IA (KCCI) — Emotions are high at Drake University Tuesday just one day after a racist robocall was sent to landline numbers on campus.
Drake University said the Idaho-based white supremacist group “The Road to Power” left calls that “convey offensive, disturbing and hateful recorded messages,” on campus phone lines.
The “Road to Power” is the same group that sent out calls about Latinos after Brooklyn, Iowa native, Mollie Tibbetts was killed.
The school says it’s working to figure out how the attack happened, and they’re gathering information to assist law enforcement.
Manasi Singh, with Student Equity Action Partners, said one of the calls came through during a meeting with students, staff and administrators to discuss a recent racist letter slipped under a student’s door.
“The robocalls began actually right at the beginning of that meeting, which doesn’t seem like a coincidence,” Singh said.
Drake University President Marty Martin said he attended the same meeting and alerted students immediately after the call came in.
“This organization, these people out in Idaho, saw what they thought was an opportunity for their own purposes, as twisted as those might be, and wanted to subject their agenda onto us,” Martin said
Students and school officials said they are banning together to show their support for students and staff of color.
“It definitely renewed a sense of fire under all of us to keep pushing, because it’s the only way we can fight back against hate is with love and community and trying to establish peace,” said Morgan Coleman with the #PaintItBlack Project.
Coleman said the #PaintItBlack Project received approval from the university to cover its iconic Painted Street in black paint in solidarity with students of color on campus.
“The fact that these incidents have taken place does not define what Drake University is,” Singh said. “It doesn’t define who we are. I think the response to these incidents is what actually defines us as an institution and as a community.”
Students, staff and community members will hold a rally at Helmich Commons Wednesday. Attendees are encouraged to wear black.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
