USAC election signboards torn down in the early morning Wednesday
Several USAC signboards on Bruin Walk were vandalized early morning,and remained on the ground Wednesday as police scanned the scene of the crime.
Signboards promoting candidates running for the Undergraduate Students Association Council were torn down early Wednesday morning.
Election Board Chairman Hector Lucero said he received a call Wednesday from USAC President Cinthia Flores, a representative for Students First!, who said all 10 of the slate’s signboards were taken down along with both boards from the Defend Affirmative Action Party. Two Bruins United signboards were also taken down.
Approximately 54 boards, comprised of large signboards and sandwich boards lining Bruin Walk, were damaged, along with popped balloons, according to Nancy Greenstein, a spokeswoman for university police.
Police reports, as well as several complaints to the Election Board, have been filed, said Kenn Heller, associate director for the Center for Student Programming.
Greenstein said the incident probably happened in the early hours of the morning, sometime between 1 and 6:30 a.m.
University police are investigating the incident and dusted the boards for fingerprints Wednesday afternoon.
A statement released by the Election Board condemned the vandalism of the 14 signboards. To deter further vandalism, the board hired a security guard to monitor the signboards overnight before the final day of elections.
“In solidarity against the recent negative campus climate, the Election Board has chosen to move forward with the elections as a symbol of “˜True Bruin’ strength. Hopefully, the general student body can support our candidates tonight as they fix and put their signboards up again,” the statement said. “Let it be known, perpetrators who wish to vandalize our campus climate will not hold us down. Let us demonstrate why we, “˜True Bruins,’ passionately care about the well-being of our campus and will not tolerate acts of vandalism or hatred.”
The board will determine what steps will be taken concerning elections; however, if students are concerned about the incident, they can file reports to the university, Heller said. He added that the act of vandalizing the signboards violates several portions of the student code of conduct.
“What we’re trying to do is come to some common ground. Everyone agrees this is a bigger issue than just the election,” said Robert Naples, associate vice chancellor and dean of students.
After the signboards were discovered on the ground, candidates from Bruins United took down their signs to show they do not support such tactics.
“This is absolutely something we do not condone,” said Luz Maria Kumpel, the presidential candidate for Bruins United. “We want to put aside party affiliations and begin discussions to make sure these kinds of acts don’t go unnoticed and work towards making sure they do not happen.”
Students First! presidential candidate Jasmine Hill said, “It’s an emotional setback as well as a physical setback.” She added that they hope to put the signboards back up by Thursday, but it will be difficult to find the time to start digging again.
Hill said the incident was discouraging and that she felt it reflected a resistance against her efforts to unify the campus and promote diversity. Students First! candidates and supporters said they will continue with the campaign now more fervently than ever.
The Defend Affirmative Action Party members put their signboards back up around noon on Wednesday.
Elections will continue as scheduled and candidates are allowed to replace their signboards if they wish to do so, according to Lucero.
Election results will be announced Thursday at 11 p.m. on the steps of Kerckhoff Hall.
Students who saw suspicious activity related to the event should contact university police or use the anonymous tip line, 310-794-5824. With contributing reports from Sonali Kohli and Andra Lim, Bruin reporters.
