Two recent incidents involving antisemitic language and symbols at the University of Wyoming are under investigation for potential Title VI and civil rights violations, UW President Ed Seidel said Friday.
“I am writing today concerning various incidents that have occurred on our campus recently, that have taken us some time to piece together,” Seidel wrote in a message to the campus community. “I recognize that this message comes later than some may have expected, but it remains important that I speak to these events and reaffirm our shared values, as outlined in our strategic plan.”
Both incidents — a collection of jack-o-lanterns carved with Nazi and Ku Klux Klan imagery and a giant beachball bearing antisemitic and homophobic messages — were reported to and investigated by the University of Wyoming Police Department. They are now under review by the school’s Equal Opportunity Report and Response Unit, or EORR.
“I want to again recognize that this event has caused significant hurt and anger for many in our community,” Seidel wrote. “I hope very much that we can come together as the supportive community that we are, that we must be, and consider how we can all do better in expressing ourselves and supporting one another.”
What we know so far
The most recent incident took place on Oct. 31, Halloween.
Pumpkins carved with antisemitic imagery and placed at Simpsons Plaza, a high foot-traffic area outside the student union, were reported to campus police around 8:30 a.m., according to a police report.
One pumpkin displayed a Nazi swastika and SS bolts, another “was carved with a KKK clan member in their hooded robe,” according to the police report. An additional pumpkin was carved with a jumble of profanity and apparent threats including “fuck,” “AIPAC,” the acronym for American Israel Public Affairs Committee and “Hitler.”
Photographs of the carved pumpkins from the University of Wyoming Police Department’s report. (University of Wyoming Police Department) 
Photographs of the carved pumpkins from the University of Wyoming Police Department’s report. (University of Wyoming Police Department) 
Photographs of the carved pumpkins from the University of Wyoming Police Department’s report. (University of Wyoming Police Department) 
Photographs of the carved pumpkins from the University of Wyoming Police Department’s report. (University of Wyoming Police Department) 
Photographs of the carved pumpkins from the University of Wyoming Police Department’s report. (University of Wyoming Police Department)
Police removed the pumpkins from campus and took photos before disposing of them, according to the report. Using security camera footage of the plaza, police connected the pumpkins back to a student group meeting in the Union the night before. UW redacted the name of the student group as well the individual students in the police report, citing the ongoing EORR investigation.
“[REDACTED] said his group, [REDACTED], was not targeting any specific group of persons with the pumpkins and it was more about the concept of free speech,” the report stated.
No law enforcement action was taken, according to the report.
The other incident occurred a week before on Oct. 24 and also involved a student organization, again at Simpson Plaza.
“I arrived and met with [REDACTED] who is with the [REDACTED] that is doing an event where they have a very large beach ball and anyone can write anything on it that they want,” a police report stated. “He said that during this event they have had some people put some things on it that are distasteful.”
The ball included antisemitic statements and also referenced the infamous murder of gay UW student Matthew Shepard. The messages included: “Kill Jews,” “Matthew Shepard deserved it Gay Prostitute and drug dealer…Rest in Piss,” “Kill the Nazis,” “Where is Jill Kews,” and “Jews did 9/11,” according to the report.
“I spoke to [REDACTED] about the difference between hate speech and free speech and how they need to be mindful about the difference,” the investigating officer wrote in the report.
Response
Seidel, who is leaving the school next year, did not respond to the incidents until Friday, a day after the pumpkins had been featured in an Oil City News article. Other campus groups had weighed in earlier.
Seidel’s delayed response to the two incidents frustrated many on campus, including Jennifer Tabler, a professor.
“When pumpkins carved with swastikas and other Nazi symbols were left in Prexy’s pasture—the most visible communal space on campus—the expectation of many was that UWPD would quietly remove the ‘abandoned property,’ but that the university would say nothing,” Tabler wrote in a letter to Seidel two hours before he made a public statement on Friday.
“We are choosing to meet expectations, rather than rise above and display excellence in fostering a campus environment that includes all, that is committed to mutual respect,” she wrote.
In the letter, Tabler resigned from a university committee intended to help UW exceed expectations about the kind of place people would want to work, live and learn.
“While I appreciate and recognize the acknowledgements from [Associated Students of the University of Wyoming], faculty Senate and Provost [Anne] Alexander, we can do better,” Tabler wrote. “The tone is set from the top.”
Thursday morning, Faculty Senate Chair Rob Godby sent an email to faculty, informing them “current actions are underway to determine disciplinary actions both through law enforcement and also from any organizations they belong to who will also be looking at taking action.”
“Education efforts are also underway,” he wrote.
Godby wrote that it was an opportunity for members of campus to “remind ourselves” of several things including that “we are a community. We stand as one. We respect one another and we include all our members.”
“This is an opportunity to express our values and to remind those who may feel threatened that we care,” Godby wrote. “I hope with some thinking, we will become better for being reminded of these values.”
Godby also thanked campus police “for their immediate efforts to identify those responsible and to ensure there is no threat to campus.” He encouraged his colleagues to let their “constituents who may be concerned know there is no threat and also remind them that we care and support them”
Paula Medina, president of the Associated Students of the University of Wyoming, informed the student body Thursday with an email of her own.
“We remain deeply disappointed by this incident, recognizing the immense harm that such actions cause to our community,” Medina wrote. “The University of Wyoming should be a place where every student feels welcome. Actions like this compromise the sense of safety and respect that make learning itself possible.”
Both Medina and Godby wrote that the three campus organizations — staff, faculty and students — met with Seidel and his office on Wednesday.
WyoFile’s Andrew Graham contributed reporting.
Too many people are ignorant of the laws, including many faculty members. We are a public university that MUST follow the law and constitution. As horrid as this speech is, it is protected speech. Speech that is stupid and hateful is protected, even if it makes people uncomfortable. Speech that includes a direct threat is not protected, but this speech did not rise to that level. Do these people want to UW to be sued and lose again….like the preacher?
As distasteful as this behavior is, it is important for the President of the University to get all of the information and facts related to the incident before acting or making public statements. I know Ed bashing is all the rage on campus now, but does anyone pointing the finger actually know when he was informed of the incident? Perhaps it is a good thing to avoid knee jerk reactions based on incomplete information. It is always easy to be an armchair QB, but the view on the field is somewhat different.
I think we can deduce who that [REDACTED] student group was. Maybe not, but probably.
Lack of parenting and social media has ruined two generations now.
sad that people would have such hate towards Israel. Hope this changes soon.
Hmmmmm….
It’s not known who exactly carved these pumpkins or placed them in a place to be found.
Staged “hate crimes” bring quite a number of results year after year.
Actually Chad, it appears they do know. From the article, “Using security camera footage of the plaza, police connected the pumpkins back to a student group meeting in the Union the night before. UW redacted the name of the student group as well the individual students in the police report, citing the ongoing EORR investigation.”