I fredags imens jeg fredeligt lå på stranden i Miami, var en knap så fredelig situation i gang med at udvikle sig tilbage på Valdosta State University.
Herunder følger min forhåbentligt objektive og uspekulerende beskrivelse af situationen:
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Fredag eftermiddag var der nogle studerende som demonstrerede på universitets grund.
Demonstrationen omhandlede ifølge andre kilder, regeringen, racisme, samt hvordan demonstranterne mente at "hvide" har mere magt verdenen over end "sorte".
Under demonstrationen blev det amerikanske flag gået på, og ifølge nogle også brændt, hvilket førte til stærke reaktioner fra andre, blandt andet en kvindelig veteran som tog flaget fra demonstranterne, for at undgå at de gik på det.
Universitetspolitiet som overvågede situationen kunne ikke tillade kvinden at tage flaget som ikke var hendes, og da hun ikke ville give det tilbage, blev hun derfor tilbageholdt.
(læs historien en artikel om historien her).
I kølvandet på hændelserne fredag, blev der hurtigt lagt an til en moddemonstration som skulle hylde det amerikanske flag og alt hvad det står for.
Denne demonstration foregik mandag og flere hundrede studerende, professorer m.m. deltog da der blev sunget nationalsang samt afsagt "Pledge of Allegiance" til flaget som er tradition i USA.
Gruppen som startede demonstrationerne vendte senere tilbage, men alting foregik rimeligt fredeligt.
Senere mandag aften begyndte rygterne dog at svirre på de sociale medier, blandt andet med billeder af de oprindelige demonstranter hvorpå de bar våben og udtrykte trusler overfor den "hvide" befolkning.
Mange studerende blev meget bekymrede, da truslerne var meget direkte, og med historien for vold på amerikanske universiteter var der flere som snakkede om helt at blive væk fra skolens område indtil situationen blev bragt til hvile.
Tirsdag svirrede rygterne fortsat, og politiets tilstedeværelse på campus var tydeligt forhøjet efter at det var blevet offentligt at de havde påbegyndt en efterforsking af truslerne på de sociale medier.
Sidst på eftermiddagen offentligtgjorde universitetet at lederen af den oprindelige demonstration nu var eftersøgt af politiet efter at man havde fundet en skoletaske med et våben i som viste sig at tilhøre lederen.
Det er endnu ikke lykkes politiet at finde den eftersøgte studerende, som de i øjeblikket mener forsøger at gemme sig enten her i byen eller uden for byen. De mener i hvert fald ikke at han udgør nogen direkte trussel for de studerende på nuværende tidspunkt, selvom de anser ham for at være farlig og bevæbnet.
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Som I nok kan regne ud er situationen på universitetet altså rimeligt anspændt disse dage, hvor jeg må indrømme at jeg personligt forsøger ikke at tilbringe så meget tid på den centrale del af campus.
Indtil situationen udviklede sig til hvad den er nu, synes jeg faktisk det var en spændende oplevelse at se de studerende samt lokalbefolkningen stå sammen om at beskytte nationens flag.
Udover blot at tage afstand fra den første demonstration, var der en tydelig bevægelse mod at forsøge at fremme forståelsen blandt alle parter og i øvrigt forsøge at vende hændelsen til noget positivt.
På torsdag har Valdostas borgmester annonceret officiel flag-dag i hele byen, og selvom jeg tager tidligt på weekend, håber jeg at se mange striber og stjerner på min tur ud af byen.
I kan læse den seneste officielle udmelding fra universitetet her.
Med dette indlæg håber jeg at undgå spekulationer, skulle nogen ske at høre/se noget i medierne - særligt de sociale - de næste dage.
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Friday afternoon while I was peacefully lying on the beach in Miami, a not so peaceful situation was developing at Valdosta State University.
Here is a hopefully objective and non-speculative description of what has happened:
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Friday afternoon a group of students demonstrated on campus grounds.
The demonstration was according to other sources, against the government, racism, and how they believe that there is "white supremacy" all over the world.
During the demonstration the students walked, and allegedly also burned an American flag, which lead to strong reactions from amongst others, a female veteran who showed up to take the flag from the group, to keep them from desecrating it.
Campus police who were monitoring the situation could not let the woman take a flag which was not hers, and when she did not want to give it back to them, she was detained by police.
(Read an article on the story here).
Following the actions of Friday, a counter-demo was quickly put together to salute, cherish and celebrate the flag and everything it represents.
The counter-demo took place Monday and hundreds of students, faculty and staff showed up to sign the Star-Spangled Banner and give their Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.
The original demonstrating group later returned to speak further on their beliefs, but everything went on peacefully.
Later Monday night the rumors started spreading on social media, some showing images of the first group of demonstrants with weapons and threatening messages, and with the history of violence on American universities many students started talking about not coming to school until the situation was put to rest.
Tuesday the rumors were still flowing, and police presence on campus had been notedly increased since it was now public that they had started an investigation into the threats posted on social media.
At the end of the afternoon, the university announced that the leader of the group was now wanted by the police after they had found a book bag on campus containing a gun which belonged to said leader.
The police has not yet succeeded in apprehending the suspect, who they currently believe is hiding somewhere off campus. They do not believe that he is posing any direct threat to the university or the students, even though they do believe he is armed and dangerous.
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As you probably know by now, the situation is very tense these days, and I must admit that I am trying not to spend too much time on main campus.
Until the situation developed into what it is now, I was actually finding the situation very interesting, especially seeing the local community come together to support and protect the nation's flag.
Besides just distancing themselves from the original demonstration, I actually felt like there was a real movement towards enhancing understanding and also trying to turn the events into something positive.
This Thursday the Mayor of Valdosta has announced an official flag day in the town, and even though I will be leaving early for another weekend, I hope to see many stars and stripes on my way out of town.
You can read the latest statement from Valdosta State University here.
With this post I hope to avoid any speculation in case anyone sees/hears anything in the media - especially the social ones - the next couple of days.
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