An online petition

with more than 5,000 signatures calls for UCF to cancel a controversial rapper’s appearance.

An online petition calling for the cancellation of a controversial rapper’s appearance at UCF in September has grown to more than 5,000 signatures.

The petition, addressed to the university’s Board of Trustees, asks university officials to cancel rapper 6ix9ine’s Sept. 22 appearance at the CFE Arena.

The performer, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, pleaded guilty in 2015 to the use of a child in a sexual performance. The charge, filed in New York, stemmed from an explicit video posted online featuring Hernandez and a 13-year-old girl when Hernandez was 18, the website Jezebel reported.

The 22-year-old rapper, known for his rainbow-colored hair and teeth, also has several open assault cases.

“What message is this decision sending to the general public, that an accredited educational institution will condone and encourage the presence of someone convicted with such an obscene crime?” a message attached to the petition read.

“UCF should not be endorsing anyone convicted of such a crime or confessed to such a crime,” one comment said. “Disgusting.”

Attempts to reach Hernandez’s booking agent were unsuccessful, as were attempts to reach Spectra, the company that manages and books events at the arena.

“Outside performers can rent this space,” UCF spokesman Chad Binette said in a statement. “However, that does not mean that the university endorses them. At all times, the safety of our campus is our top priority.”

Hernandez’s show isn’t the first time in recent years that a controversial figure’s scheduled appearance at UCF has prompted outrage. This past spring, an event featuring Charlie Kirk, the conservative founder of Turning Point USA, drew police and protesters. A 2016 event featuring former Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos, scheduled days after the Pulse nightclub massacre, had to be rescheduled because of security concerns.

Tickets to Hernandez’s show start at $35.