University Of Oklahoma Student Suspended For Sending Racist Messages

A University of Oklahoma student has been temporarily suspended on suspicion of sending racist messages, including threats of lynchings, to black freshman at the University of Pennsylvania, the two universities said on Saturday.

The messages were sent to more than 150 students at the University of Pennsylvania, Trump’s alma mater, and included racial slurs and pictures of Africa-Americans being hanged, students told local media.

“This is absolutely vile material and completely offensive to everyone on our campus,” University of Pennsylvania President Amy Gutmann said in a statement. “This is simply deplorable.”

University of Oklahoma President David Boren notified Gutmann that his school had identified a suspect, who has not been named.

“The university has already determined from its preliminary inquiry that there’s a basis for a temporary suspension of the student under our student code while we continue to gather all of the facts,” Boren said in a statement.

The messages, including some sent from a source called “Trump’s Disciples,” came as civil rights groups said racial and religious minorities have been targeted nationwide after the election of Donald Trump as president.

They have said his divisive campaign rhetoric emboldened a few supporters to spread racist messages, although Trump has called for unity since his election and denounced white supremacist groups that have backed him.

Since his election this week, thousands have gathered at protests in several major U.S. cities to rally against the president-elect, who they say will threaten civil and human rights.

Trump supporters have also taken to social media to say they have been targeted and assaulted by supporters of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

(Reporting by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Dan Grebler)