Santa Clara University apologized this week for the “hurt” caused by a “Blue Lives Matter” postcard owned by a campus security officer and visible in his office during a recent Zoom meeting. The Santa Clara College Republicans posted a statement from the university to social media stating that the Blue Lives Matter flag is “widely considered to be an effort to undermine the Black Lives Matter movement and its universally important goals.”
The Santa Clara University College Republicans tweeted out a statement from the university in which several administrators condemned Assistant Campus Safety Director John Thomas Loretto over a “Blue Lives Matter” postcard that he had displayed in his office during a virtual event.
This afternoon, the @SantaClaraUniv administration sent this email regarding a diversity meeting the night before in which a Campus Safety Officer displayed a blue lives matter emblem behind him. The school has labeled this an incident of racial hatred. pic.twitter.com/vivOSMWidN
— Santa Clara University College Republicans (@SCU_CR) October 29, 2020
“As members of the President’s Cabinet, we write to address an event that occurred at last night’s Diversity Forum. The assistant director of Cam. Safety Service (CSS) participated in the event with a postcard on a bookshelf behind him that is widely considered to be an effort to undermine the Black Lives Matter movement and its universally important goals. We deeply apologize for this incident and the hurt it has caused.”
In the statement, the university announced that it has launched an “audit” into the campus police force beginning in August, prior to the Zoom incident.
“Last night’s incident has further damaged the trust and faith that we are working so hard to build. But we cannot let it derail the important work we have underway,” the statement continues.
“We are steadfast in our commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of our students and to building a Santa Clara community where all are welcome.”
One student group at the university even referred to the postcard as a “display of racial hatred.” The group said that Loretto “unabashedly supported” an “anti-Black symbol.”
I am beyond disappointed in the response from @SantaClaraUniv and associated clubs in their labeling of support for police officers “racial hatred” and calling for the firing of our campus safety officers. pic.twitter.com/oftKC1V4ZQ
— Santa Clara University College Republicans (@SCU_CR) October 29, 2020
Update — Santa Clara University responded to a Breitbart News request for comment after publication. The university’s only comment on the matter was to indicate that its audit of the Campus Safety Services department began in August, not in response to the Blue Lives Matter postcard.
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