UW-EC students protest following racist Snapchat posts, demand accountability from university …

EAU CLAIRE — UW-Eau Claire students peacefully protested Thursday afternoon in response to recent racist Snapchat posts and to demand more accountability going forward from university officials.The student-led demonstrations began with a gathering in Schofield Auditorium to discuss how to make campus safer and more welcoming for people of color. That was followed by a sit-in in the hallway outside Chancellor James Schmidt’s office and students delivering letters to the chancellor’s office. Nearly identical plans are in place for a Friday afternoon demonstration.COVID-19 contact tracing protocols were in place, and students wore masks and stayed physically distanced. Hand sanitizer was available, and auditorium seats were disinfected after the gathering.The demonstrations occurred in the wake of racist Snapchat posts allegedly made by a student last week. The posts, which surfaced on social media, were titles of the student’s Snapchat stories. The titles included an emoji reference insinuating the N-word and language about George Floyd, a Black man who was killed last May after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. The student’s story was at one point titled “George Floyd’s Breathing Tips.”The student did not respond to multiple interview requests from the Leader-Telegram.About 40 students sat…
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