WASHINGTON — Several anti-immigration flyers were found on American University’s campus Monday, and police are working to gather more details about who posted them.
On Monday morning, eight flyers were found on campus between the School of International Service building and Roper Hall and outside of Kerwin Hall. The flyers had anti-immigration messages attributed to a neo-Nazi organization, said Vice President of Campus Life Fanta Aw in a message sent to students.
Aw said it does not appear that American was specifically targeted, and that the flyers are a “hateful movement attempting to provoke fear in and intimidate immigrant communities throughout the world.”
The flyers are likely a reaction to the women’s march in D.C. over the weekend as well as the controversial DACA policy at the center of the government shutdown debate, Aw said.
American University President Sylvia Burwell said hate and bigotry have no place at the university, nor anywhere else. She added that American has “always been a place that welcomes students, faculty and staff from around the world” as well as undocumented students.
“As an institution that takes strong stands on anti-racism, equal rights for all and preservation of free expression and one that believes that undocumented students should have access to education, this sadly continues to make American University a target for acts of cowardice and bigotry like these that are disturbingly global. We will stand together strongly against these acts that are intended to frighten and divide our community. They will not,” Burwell said in a statement.
American University police are investigating the flyers. Anyone with information about them can contact police at 202-885-2527.
Recently, American University was the target of other derogatory flyers. In September, 10 Confederate flag posters, each with a stalk of cotton attached, were found in four locations on campus. Similar flyers were spotted in the Takoma neighborhood.
Last week, Ku Klux Klan flyers were found around Loudoun County.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include a statement from Burwell.
