Hateful Attack on our SF State Community

Dear SF State Community,

I was angered to hear about the vandalism that occurred on our campus overnight.  Flyers were posted by an outside extremist group in numerous locations, singling out one of our faculty members, our students and vandalizing our campus. We know that this group is not affiliated with San Francisco State University.

Let me be clear, this is not an issue of free speech; this is bullying behavior that is unacceptable and will not be tolerated on our campus. The University Police Department is investigating the incident, and Student Affairs staff are reaching out to students who may feel unsafe. Our facilities have been working diligently to remove the flyers.

San Francisco State University remains committed to providing a space in which diverse ideas and opinions can be exchanged.  We are committed to supporting the first amendment rights of our campus community, and the rights of those who visit our campus.

This attack happened to our whole campus community, and we must condemn these actions when an opinion or position has morphed into a personal attack. A line has been crossed, and we are investigating any legal recourse we have with the perpetrators.

In the current climate fostered by a divisive election season, we must remember to support each other as members of the San Francisco State University community.  Although we disagree on many issues, we must defend each other from personalized attacks that serve no purpose but to incite fear and promote division.

I encourage any student, staff or faculty member who feels threatened or unsafe to immediately call University Police Department at 415-338-7200 or 911 in case of emergency.

Les Wong
President