A group of fans at a UW-Madison’s football game last month wore a mask depicting President Obama with a noose around the neck has been reprimanded by the University. The University has revoked the season tickets privilege of the group.
After the incident, the Chancellor Rebecca Blank released a statement saying the University supported the right to free speech but also how the University has been stepping up efforts to increase diversity and inclusion throughout the campus environment and the Madison community as a whole.
Many expressed outrage and the University’s weak response to such an offensive gesture.
Wisconsin State Journal reports:
“I am personally very sorry for the hurt that this incident and our response to it has caused,” Blank said during a meeting of the UW-Madison Faculty Senate. “We have learned from this incident, and we will do better the next time.”
Later Monday several UW athletes tweeted a message calling on UW to do more to address “how students of color are treated” at the university.
Blank and UW officials stopped short of saying the season ticket holders were the two people who dressed in the costume at the Oct. 29 game against Nebraska.
“We have not definitively identified the individuals wearing the costumes at the game, but we believe the season ticket holders are related to this situation,” UW spokesman John Lucas said.
The university revoked four total season tickets from two groups of fans who officials say were connected to the costume.
For more on this story, visit Wisconsin State Journal.
