Black student group at PSU says Zoom meeting hijacked by racists
A recent Zoom meeting held by the Black Caucus student group at Penn State University was hijacked by a group of 51 people — “white supremacists and Nazis,” the caucus said — who used racial and homophobic slurs, anti-Semitic and white supremacist language, screamed, and exposed themselves during a call to recruit new members.
In an open letter to the Penn State community sent Friday, the Black Caucus called Wednesday’s attack during its Spring Involvement Fair a “traumatic and horrific event” and said it “reported and removed each intruder, and contacted Penn State administration immediately after.”
The Black Caucus, which was founded in 1967, said incidents involving white supremacists targeting Black students is not uncommon at Penn State’s main campus in State College, Pa., citing cases in 1987, 1990 and 2001.
In the latest incident, the caucus did not specify what was said but called the attack verbal and visual and said the intruders “exposed themselves in a sexual manner.” The organization called the attack another example of injustice that people of color face.
“The coordinated, hateful attack is also not isolated,” the letter says. “This country has consistently failed us systemically, resulting in racial injustices in every sector of life. Throughout the nation and here in Central Pennsylvania, we have seen a rise in recent years of hate crimes and hate-driven radicalization that have resulted in hostility, harm and violence toward Black and brown people.
“While we are not surprised by this disgusting behavior, we are deeply saddened and disappointed that this occurred. Communities that have been historically pushed to the margins have fought to be in inclusive environments that are safe and welcoming. This incident begs the question: If we are not safe in our classrooms, on our campus, in our homes, in an online meeting, then where are we supposed to go?”
The Black Caucus called on the university to “continue to use its full resources” to find those responsible for Wednesday’s attack and said “we also implore Penn State to invest in programming, educational opportunities and research to combat anti-Blackness comprehensively.”
The latest incident provided more urgency in the ongoing fight against white supremacism, the letter says.
“This abominable act will not deter us from fulfilling our mission,” the letter says. “... We appreciate the love and support extended to us during this time, and are empowered to continue to work together on this path toward justice. We must eradicate white supremacy and further the movement for Black lives for the betterment of our University and our society, now more than ever.”
In a message to the members of the Black Caucus and the Penn State community that was posted on the university’s website Saturday, Penn State President Eric J. Barron said “Zoom bombings” of “various” lectures and meetings “in which hate-filled, racist and antisemitic language was spewed and specifically targeted at people of color and other populations” have been reported, though he did not go into detail about any of the calls or indicate which other groups aside from the Black Caucus have been targeted.
Mr. Barron said Penn State has alerted police, as well as Zoom, to these cases “to investigate and hold the perpetrators accountable.”
“The vile language, images and vulgar content that are characteristics of these coordinated online attacks reflect broader social challenges and ongoing problems within our community and our nation at large,” Mr. Barron wrote. “For me, these types of troubling activities serve to strengthen my goal of creating a more inclusive community and certainly underscore the need for continued work together on initiatives like the recent revisions to our Student Code of Conduct.”