Students walk across Cal State Long Beach.
Student workers across the 23-campus California State University system have submitted an official petition to form a union.

csulb threatsUniversity police are investigating threats made to cultural organizations recently online and via unauthorized posters hung at Cal State Long Beach (CSULB).

“I’m saddened to report this to you, but want you to know that each incident reflecting intolerance and hate is being reported to the FBI and is receiving priority attention from University Police,” CSULB President Jane Close Conoley said in an email to the campus community on Wednesday.

Close Conoley said that over the past few days, multiple “campus colleagues have received threats from known and unknown sources.” Leaders with the La Raza Student Association and Jewish students were the most recent targets of such threats with the unknown perpetrators allegedly threatening them online and via posters hung in the Multicultural Center.

Muslim and undocumented students have also been victimized in the past few months, she added.

According to the campus’ student newspaper, the Daily 49er, La Raza received a death threat September 16 after a man posted “crude and discriminating comments” on the student organization’s Facebook page.

Fliers were also found posted on the doors and windows of the Multicultural Center “with swastikas and pictures of Adolf Hitler printed on them,” the Daily 49er reported.

“While one of the great strengths of our democracy is that free speech—which includes ‘hate speech’—is protected under the First Amendment, direct and credible threats of violence are not tolerated,” Close Conoley stated. “University Police will immediately intervene to protect our community from harm.”

Campus officials urge those who feel threatened to call the UPD at (562) 985-4101.

Above, left photo courtesy of the CSULB Multicultural Center. 

Stephanie Rivera is the community engagement editor. Reach her at [email protected] or on Twitter at @StephRivera88.