Every year, student organizations from the University of Minnesota have the chance to paint a panel of the Washington Avenue Bridge to represent their group’s mission. This last Friday concluded the “Paint the Bridge Event”, and one particular panel has created an uproar on social media and sparked a protest. The mural, painted by the University of Minnesota’s College Republican student group, featured a “Trump Pence 2016” political sign, and a mural reading “Build the Wall”, referring to presidential candidate Donald Trump’s proposal to block illegal immigration to the United States from Mexico with a wall along the border.
The image was criticized for its, “anti-Mexican, anti-immigrant, racist rhetoric” by Minneapolis-based NAVIGATE MN, a non-profit advocate for undocumented immigrant students. The group led over 150 immigration advocates and student activists in a protest at the bridge on Saturday. The painting was later vandalized with the words “Stop White Supremacy” spray painted over it.
State Sen. Kari Dziedzic criticized the painting, but also condemned the vandalism, saying, “I don’t like vandalism. They have their free speech, and we have our free speech. But I think we can reach out and we can be louder.”
On Saturday, the president of the Republican student group, Madison Faupel responded to the vandalism and allegations in a statement. “We have received comments on the painting, falsely accusing us of being racist, xenophobic and anti-immigrant,” she said. “Our party’s nominee supports building a wall on the Mexican border to stop the flow of illegal immigrants into this country. We understand that some students may disagree with this policy position. However, free speech is at the center of a functioning democracy, and the action taken against our panels runs contrary to free speech.”
University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler also released a statement Saturday. ““The University of Minnesota supports a campus climate that welcomes all members of our community and our values of equity and diversity,” he said, “but that also ensures the free flow of ideas, even those that are offensive to some.” On the vandalism, he said, “People in our community may disagree with the sentiment expressed. However, while the University values free speech, the subsequent vandalism of the panel is not the way to advance a conversation.”