An East Tennessee State University student wearing a gorilla mask was taken away by public safety officers after he tried handing out bananas with nooses on them to #blacklivesmatter protesters.
ETSU Freshmen Tristan Rettke reportedly dressed up in overalls and attempted to give out bananas from a bag with a confederate flag and marijuana leaf printed on it to students engaged in a peaceful protest. He was charged with civil rights intimidation by the Johnson City Police and placed on interim suspension, according to the Daily Mail. Some of his actions were caught on video. He later admitted to police that his antics were meant to “provoke the protesters.” The university is disgusted with his behavior and said he went against the values of the school “where people come first, and all are treated with dignity and respect.”
The school’s president Brian Noland held a press conference yesterday to address the incident. “I was offended, but I was also saddened,” he said. “The nation is not only raw, but it’s healing,” Noland said the #BlackLivesMatter protesters remained peaceful throughout the taunts. “We are exceptionally proud of the students who were peacefully participating in the event and the manner in which they exercised restraint, thoughtfulness and strength in the face of inappropriate and offensive behavior,” continued Noland. Sophomore Jaelyn Grimes revealed how they were able to deal with Retke’s antics. “Of course, it’s hard to stay calm because they’re doing it because they know they can get under your skin,” she said. You’ve just got to have thicker skin and be the bigger person and just show that ignorance is not going to override your ability to be calm.”
Source: youtube.com | DailyMail.com
