Bleach Bombing, Were bleach bombing attacks at UT Austin racist hate crimes? There have been a series of bleach bombing attacks at the University of Texas at Austin, and according to an October 4 report from Gawker, these heinous attacks may have been racially motivated.
Several members of minority groups have reported having bleach filled water balloons thrown at them while walking to and from campus. This is horribly dangerous. Police are investigating the incidents, but proving that they are hate crimes may be difficult. Regardless of if this is a hate crime or not, it is at very least assault. All four bleach bombing victims were Asian or Black.
Cindy Posey, spokeswoman for campus police said,
"They did not file reports when the alleged incidents happened. Our chief of police heard about the incidents through the grapevine and sought out the victims."
In conjunction with police, UT Austin has created Campus Climate Response Team to help students report behavior like this. Now, at least, students will have an avenue to report incidents like these.
On Tuesday, there was a protest on the campus of UT Austin by a statue of Martin Luther King Jr. Sophomore Taylor Carr, one of the bleach bombing victims, said,
"It is people of color they are attacking in West Campus. Until we put pressure on the university to [protect] us, these events are going to keep happening."
It is frustrating that these types of crimes are going on at a University. Hopefully the fact that it has gained national attention will make sure that these types of crimes do not continue at UT Austin or at any other University.
Several members of minority groups have reported having bleach filled water balloons thrown at them while walking to and from campus. This is horribly dangerous. Police are investigating the incidents, but proving that they are hate crimes may be difficult. Regardless of if this is a hate crime or not, it is at very least assault. All four bleach bombing victims were Asian or Black.
Cindy Posey, spokeswoman for campus police said,
"They did not file reports when the alleged incidents happened. Our chief of police heard about the incidents through the grapevine and sought out the victims."
In conjunction with police, UT Austin has created Campus Climate Response Team to help students report behavior like this. Now, at least, students will have an avenue to report incidents like these.
On Tuesday, there was a protest on the campus of UT Austin by a statue of Martin Luther King Jr. Sophomore Taylor Carr, one of the bleach bombing victims, said,
"It is people of color they are attacking in West Campus. Until we put pressure on the university to [protect] us, these events are going to keep happening."
It is frustrating that these types of crimes are going on at a University. Hopefully the fact that it has gained national attention will make sure that these types of crimes do not continue at UT Austin or at any other University.
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