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U.S. NEWS Thursday 21 November 2019
Syracuse U says report of supremacist screed was likely hoax

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Re- Wednesday. He said the
ports that a white suprema- rest attend other schools
cist manifesto was sent to that have been informed
some Syracuse University of the incident.
students' cellphones was Students have staged a sit-
likely a hoax, the chancel- in at the Syracuse student
lor said Wednesday while wellness center since Nov.
adding that the school fell 13 with a list of demands
short in responding to a that includes the expulsion
string of racist incidents. of students for hate crimes
News of the screed — which and stronger diversity train-
authorities had described ing for students and staff.
as an apparent copy of on The university's international
one written by a man ac- students also have listed
cused of killing 51 people concerns, and about 100
at two mosques in New Peter Fitzgerald from the FBI addresses questions about a series of racist messages and hate law and medical students
Zealand in March — had crimes that have occurred at SU in the last two weeks during a press conference Tuesday, Nov. marched Wednesday to
been the latest episode to 19, 2019, at the Public Safety Building in Syracuse, N.Y. show support for the pro-
shake the central New York Associated Press testers, according to Syra-
campus this month after ment was posted in an day, city, campus and black students at the pri- cuse.com.
a series of bigoted graffiti online forum and that at- state police and the FBI vate university of nearly Syverud pledged Tuesday
and verbal slurs. tempts were made to send were discussing the matter 23,000 students. About 8% to take steps including
But authorities haven't it to students' cellphones at a news conference. are Hispanic or Latino, 7% clarifying the student code
been able to find anyone at the main campus library The campus was already are black and 6% are Asian, of conduct, enhancing
who directly received the around 11:30 p.m. Monday on edge. There have been according to the university security, and investing at
manifesto, Chancellor Kent via AirDrop. It's a file-shar- a dozen instances of racist website. Syverud on Sun- least $1 million in curriculum
Syverud told the University ing service that lets iPhone and anti-Semitic graffiti ap- day suspended a frater- changes to address diver-
Senate on Wednesday. users send files to iPhones or pearing on or near campus nity and social events for sity.
"It was apparent that this ru- iPads that are near enough in recent weeks, according all fraternities after a black Facing criticism, Syver-
mor was probably a hoax," to be within Bluetooth or wi- to Syverud, who said police student filed a complaint ud said Wednesday that
he said, "but that real- fi range. Syverud said that believe that five people saying she was verbally ha- "there are things that have
ity was not communicated because of the late hour, connected to the university rassed by people leaving not been handled well
clearly and rapidly enough the university wasn't well are responsible for the van- a fraternity party the night enough during this series of
to get ahead of escalating positioned to address the dalism. before. Four of the 14 peo- recent events," including
anxiety." A day earlier, au- matter and the wave of Authorities also have field- ple involved were Syracuse the manifesto reports and
thorities said they had got- alarm that quickly spread ed reports of shouted slurs students and have been communication about the
ten reports that the docu- on social media. By Tues- targeting Jews, Asians and suspended, Syverud said early graffiti incidents.q