The white supremacists who hung racist banners and fliers around the SMU campus Saturday night wore masks and covered their faces while giving Nazi salutes in the photographs they took to boast of their exploits. This is presumably because these men are cowards, well aware that the disgusting views they share anonymously online have consequences in the real world.
Those consequences include a police investigation, as the SMU Police Department is sharing surveillance images in an effort to identify the five men suspected of putting up the hateful messages over the weekend.
We had a great night at @SMU pic.twitter.com/GJSVuaZJiF
— Texas Vanguard (@TexasVanguard) December 3, 2017
The university this morning sent out an alert with three photos, pulled from Park Cities Plaza surveillance footage, that shows those five men and a pickup truck.
Anyone that could help identify the people seen in those photos is asked to call SMU police at 214-768-3333, or to submit an anonymous tip via 214-SMU-2TIP or www.smu.edu/2TIP.
A group called Texas Vanguard says it was responsible for the racist messages. The group, the Texas branch of a national white supremacist organization, has papered its fliers on campuses across the state, including SMU, UT-Arlington, and the University of North Texas. Similar racist and homophobic fliers were hung in Deep Ellum earlier this summer.
Here’s the full email sent this morning by SMU:
The SMU Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying five persons of interest who may have information regarding fliers that were posted outside campus buildings, as well as a banner and flier that were hung near the lacrosse field.
An outside group identifying itself as “Texas Vanguard” has claimed responsibility for posting the signs. The signs were not authorized by SMU and have been removed, and SMU Police are conducting an investigation. This group has targeted other universities in Texas for its abhorrent messages.
Surveillance video at Park Cities Plaza shows five individuals exiting a dark-colored full-sized pickup truck about 11:20 p.m. Saturday, December 2. Two individuals later are seen carrying a banner about 12:20 a.m. Sunday, December 3.
Anyone with information concerning the identity of the individuals shown below, the pickup or the fliers is asked to contact SMU Police at 214-768-3333.
Information also may be reported anonymously through the SMU Police Department’s Silent Witness Program by calling 214-SMU-2TIP or online at www.smu.edu/2TIP.
