In Atlanta, students at one of America’s top-ranked universities protested against the alleged hate-filled rhetoric they found scrawled on some campus sidewalks last week.
The messages, written in chalk on the Emory University campus, included pro-Trump slogans such as “Trump 2016”.
Some 50 student demonstrators protested the chalk messages last Monday and demanded that Emory President Jim Wagner meet with them to discuss the issue.
"You are not listening! Come speak to us, we are in pain!" protesters chanted. Wagner quickly acquiesced and met with the protesters, AP reported.
Wagner acknowledged that the students had a “genuine concern” regarding the chalk “Trump 2016” messages, and were in “pain” from seeing them.
One of the student protesters, Jonathan Peraza, told AP that as Hispanic student, he felt under assault by the pro-Trump messages, including one which he claimed read “Build a wall”.
"That is a direct reference to brown people on campus," Peraza said. Because of the chalk signs, Peraza claimed that "we feel unsafe on our campus."
"We do feel that our lives are in danger with his campaign and the violence that he's been inciting."
In light of the chalk messages, Peraza even felt that his life was in immediate danger.
"We're getting targets put on our backs because we're speaking out for the things that we need. I'm literally watching my back all over campus."
Another participant in Monday’s protest, Lolade Oshin, felt the university should make a formal statement condemning the slogans, comparing the “Trump 2016” to Nazi rhetoric and swastikas.
"If there were pro-Hitler things around the campus or swastikas, Emory would have taken a stance on it," she said.