Trump Supporter Milo Yiannopoulos Furthers Racial Hatred At DePaul University

When conservative provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos came to speak at DePaul University on May 24, tensions were already running high on the Chicago campus.

During the course of the year, DePaul’s Black Student Union had been repeatedly meeting and negotiating with the administration about ongoing hate at the university. DePaul College Republicans, who invited Yiannopoulos to speak, had just coordinated the chalking of phrases like “Blue Lives Matter” and “Trump Train 2016” on school grounds in April — an incident that led to the banning of chalk on sidewalks.

Things only got more heated when it was announced the school would host Yiannopoulos as part of his “Dangerous Faggot” college tour. A far-right incendiary speaker and journalist, Yiannopoulos first rose to fame by providing controversial coverage around the Gamergate controversy.

An online petition with over 400 signatures was submitted to the administration, asking them to respond more comprehensively to the chalkings and to cancel the Yiannopoulos event. Shortly thereafter, Strong DePaul, a student group for women of color, with the support of the Department of African and Black Diaspora Studies, also emailed the school’s administration begging them to stop Milo Yiannopoulos’ appearance — certain that it would only fuel more hatred.

“Queerphobia, xenophobia, racism against Muslims and other Brown people is just as disruptive and apparent on our campus,” said Victoria, a Women’s and Gender Studies major who works at DePaul’s Center for Identity, Inclusion and Social Change, and did not want her full name used. “A lot of organizing has been centered around trying to hear everyone.”

Students who were worried about being targeted after Yiannopoulos’ appearance weren’t wrong. The afternoon before he spoke, messages like “Trump 2016” and “Fuck Mexico” were found in the main quad – this time painted in black.

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2016/06/07/3785678/milo-trump-depaul/