A banner proclaiming “America is our birthright” and referencing “blood and soil” was displayed on the main campus of the University of Texas-San Antonio last week.
The phrase “blood and soil” has been used to promote white supremacy ideology popularized by Nazi Germany. It was also chanted during the white supremacy rally in Charlottesville, Virginia in August.
A Twitter account affiliated with the banner regularly posts photos of similar messages it says were posted on campuses across the U. S.
In a statement released Sunday, university officials said the banner was removed soon after it was spotted early Wednesday morning hanging off the University Center Bridge on UTSA’s main campus.
“We want you to know what we know, and to affirm our complete and total rejection of the hatred and intolerance this incident tried to promote,” said officials, adding that only one of the photos posted to Twitter was of the UTSA campus.
University spokesman Joe Izbrand said the banner was removed because it wasn’t sponsored by a student organization or college program.
UTSA students and others in San Antonio began reacting soon after images of the banner were post Thursday.
UTSA banner reaction - Curated tweets by cmpcamille
Several student groups, including the university chapter of the NAACP, will be holding a campus meeting Monday at 7 p.m. in the University Room of the Business Building to discuss how to respond to the banner’s message.
We will not allow white supremacist ideology to have a place on our campus! Come out tomorrow night to have a civil discourse and to implement a plan of action! #UTSA pic.twitter.com/N7IKpqoL3t
— Women of Honor (@UTSAWOH) November 19, 2017
Camille Phillips can be reached at Camille@tpr.org or on Twitter at @cmpcamille
