‘Stand against hate at Stan State.’ Protesters shout down university president

Some students loudly interrupted CSU Stanislaus President Ellen Junn’s “Fall Welcome Address” on Monday, chanting, “Stand against hate at Stan State!” and holding up posters urging that white nationalist leader Nathan Damigo be expelled.

Damigo, 31, is a former Marine and ex-convict from Oakdale who helped organize the Aug. 12 white nationalist rally that turned deadly in Charlottesville, Va. He has not responded to Modesto Bee requests for comment since the clash, although last week he told reporters of plans for a Bay Area demonstration later this month.

A poster Monday said, “Don’t let what happened in Charlottesville happen here!!!” And another, “When you give Nazis a platform, they bring torches. Expel Damigo.”

Junn told the audience that state law prevents her from discussing Damigo’s status. Despite the ruckus, Junn praised protesters for “proclaiming their passion against hate speech and hate activism,” drawing applause from attendees, most of whom seemed to be faculty.

Outside the auditorium, graduate student Laura Machado said of Junn, “We are trying to put her in a position where she needs to take a stance. ... Various students on campus have repeatedly addressed her and tried to raise the issue of having white supremacists on campus where they can openly recruit (which) is a danger to our student body.”

Junn’s office last week confirmed that Damigo remained enrolled, and on Monday she addressed protesters and others who are “concerned about the fact that there is the presence of a student who engaged in some of these activities.” She said she has “an open door policy” but cannot violate an individual’s privacy rights.

“If a line is crossed, I as president will take swift action,” Junn told the audience. Her remarks about consulting with a legal team “to provide me context to make a rational decision based on circumstances and evidence” seemed to indicate that she continues mulling options.

Meanwhile, Junn said a “spirit of hate and violence” is “absolutely abhorrent. We don’t believe in any of those things.”

Heather Heyer, 32, was killed when a white nationalist allegedly drove his car into a crowd of counter demonstrators in Charlottesville. Damigo was arrested for refusing a police order to leave a park where white nationalists hoped to protest the removal of a Robert E. Lee statue, and he posted a video on his Twitter feed reveling in “national attention” to the incident.

Damigo prompted headlines in April for cold-cocking a young woman with a blow to the face during a Berkeley melee caught on video that went viral. He is the founder of Identity Evropa, a group proclaiming superiority of European heritage.

Addressing the audience long after protesters had left the auditorium, Junn said, “They were shouting and passionate and wanted to express their views, which is fine. That’s why universities are here, to promote lessons of inclusion and strengthen civil discourse. I appreciate everyone’s patience in giving them the opportunity.”

Outside, Machado, who is following a teaching credential program, said, “It’s not (students’) job to protect the campus from white supremacists. Everyone has seen what happened in Charlottesville.”

This story was originally published August 21, 2017 at 4:53 PM with the headline "‘Stand against hate at Stan State.’ Protesters shout down university president."