Located between Sharp Hall and Arc Hall, a Blood and Soil poster resided on an electrical box before being since removed.
The Hispanic Latino Association (HLA), and People Respecting Individuality, Diversity and Equality (PRIDE) have both experienced forms of hate thus far in the school year in forms of vandalism in addition to the increase of white nationalist postings on campus by the group Blood and Soil.
Since hosting the Vice Presidential debate on Oct. 4, 2016, Longwood University has seen an increase in anti-government postings, according to Longwood University Police Department (LUPD) Chief Col. Bob Beach.
Virginia has 29 anti-government groups reported in 2017, one of the highest in the United States, behind California (50), New York (34), Pennsylvania (39) and Texas (37), according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.
“Colleges around the country have seen dramatically increased reports of vandalism and hateful speech, and Longwood sadly is no exception,” said President W. Taylor Reveley IV in an email to campus.
Reveley also said he met with student leaders on Thursday, Oct. 25 which resulted in "some possible concrete steps".
"I am, however, determined that not a single Longwood student could possibly doubt or be unclear where I, and Longwood as a whole, stand on such matters. These incidents run completely contrary to our values," said Reveley in the email on Oct. 26.
According to Beach, he is unsure if the events occurring on Longwood’s campus are related and done by the same individual or group of individuals.
Maria Reynoso Alvia, president of HLA, has had to post about eight new flyers since Oct. 10 promoting HLA in Ruffner Hall on two different bulletin boards. She replaced the posters after they had been scratched out with a pen and marker or cut with a box cutter.
One of the eight defaced posters located in Ruffner Hall, where the posters have been defaced on the ground and second floors.
“I got kinda curious so let me go see the other one I have upstairs and I go upstairs and then I find there’s another one by the elevator on the second floor that’s cut so this one at this point (sic) looks like someone had some kind of box cutter or some kind of knife and they had cut the paper but also the bulletin board behind it,” said Alvia.
Alvia immediately reported the incident to LUPD, then an officer arrived on the scene and removed the flyers. Alvia said later that same day, an officer called her saying there might be a connection to the HLA defaced posters and the white nationalist postings.
The issue of defacing a poster is considered a class one misdemeanor in this case since the flyers destruction is less than $1,000, according to Code of Virginia.
“(The vandalism and posting of white nationalist stickers) it’s successful from this perspective that we’re allowing it happen…we’re allowing it to rob us of joy, peace, comfort and that’s what they want,” said Beach. “I will eventually find them and when I do I will publicly identify them.”
According to Beach, there have been several reports of Blood and Soil stickers on campus.
Beach reiterated the posting of Blood and Soil postings is not a crime but rather a first amendment issue and the only offense done is the posters are not approved by the Student Union.
“To say that the university isn’t doing anything is really a misrepresentation of the truth,” said Beach in regard to student complaints.
When asked about installing more security cameras around campus, Beach said the perpetrators will move their efforts elsewhere out of sight of the security cameras. He also said a lack of administration funding is preventing the installation of more cameras around campus.
Sebastian Lacoss, president of PRIDE, said his car was vandalized on Sept. 28 and believes the perpetrator is also behind the posting of Blood and Soil postings as well as the defacing of the HLA posters.
“I had a transgender flag magnet on the back of my car and then hanging in one of the vents of my car I had a gay pride flag and we’ve been having a lot of issues with the Blood and Soil group putting posters up all around campus," Lacoss said. "With all four tires being loosened there’s no way it was an accident."
Lacoss drives a “20-year-old” car that he initially thought was the problem when he heard knocking but in reality all four of his tires had their lug nuts loosened and he immediately reported it to LUPD. During the day, Lacoss had parked in three different commuter lots and is unsure of when the incident occurred.
President of PRIDE Sebastian Lacoss' car was vandalized with loosening the lug-nuts on all four tires.
“As soon as I said ‘Hey I need to report this hate crime, someone tried to hurt me’ they immediately, even though the officer had just gotten on duty, he immediately took me into the back and took down all of the information,” said Lacoss.
After the incident occurred, Lacoss said his feeling of safety on campus disappeared.
“I’m still really shaken by it, I’m obviously still really scared,” said Lacoss.
Beach ensures Longwood's campus is safe and that is their top priority in the effort and believes the individual or group of individual would come forth with their beliefs if they felt strong.
Continue to follow The Rotunda as this is an ongoing story.
