Berkeley's Black Student Union is turning up the pressure on university officials after two anti-Black incidents on campus that student leaders say reflect a troubling pattern of hostility. The group says students found racist graffiti at the Clark Kerr Campus and later spotted a social media post showing people posing in front of a blanket printed with George Floyd's face. Organizers say they have filed multiple student conduct reports and are demanding clear disciplinary outcomes, not just statements of concern.
According to student leaders, two UC Berkeley students reported finding a racial slur graffiti on a map inside a Clark Kerr Campus building on Feb. 2. Campus staff removed the graffiti shortly after it was reported. In a statement to The Daily Californian, Residential Life official Adam Ratliff wrote that staff reinforces the campus's principles of community and that graffiti on campus property is not allowed. Black student leaders say that is not enough and are calling for the individuals responsible to be identified and disciplined.
A separate social media post that surfaced on Feb. 16 appeared to show two people standing in front of a blanket with George Floyd's face, according to student leaders. They say one of the people in the photo is a UC Berkeley student who later emailed several Black student organizations about the incident. Black student organizations said the student's message failed to take true accountability, and the Black Student Union said it has submitted multiple student conduct reports in response. That series of incidents spurred the BSU to publicly demand transparent investigations and consequences, according to The Daily Californian.
How students can file complaints
The BSU and other students say they have submitted multiple reports to the campus Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination, which outlines complaint steps and offers an online reporting form. The university police department also maintains a reporting portal and additional resources. Visit the UC Police Department site for the "Make a Report" page and contact information for witnesses who want to speak with officers.
BSU presses for action amid campus promises
BSU leaders argue that the incidents undermine campus pledges around inclusion and are urging administrators to follow through with meaningful consequences. Their calls come in the middle of Black History Month and after Berkeley's recent designation as a Black-Serving Institution earlier this year. The university's Equity & Inclusion pages describe that designation and related programming.
The BSU says it will keep pushing for identification and discipline in the cases while urging anyone with information to speak up. Witnesses or students with concerns can contact UCPD at (510) 642-6760 (non-emergency) or OPHD at (510) 643-7985 for guidance on filing a report.
