UW fraternity accused of hurling racial slurs at protesters

SEATTLE – The University of Washington is investigating allegations that members of a fraternity made racial slurs and obscene gestures to black students as they marched past during a protest.

The Seattle Times reported students allege white men shouted comments from the Sigma Alpha Epsilon house as demonstrators passed Feb. 25. The protesters were in a Black Lives Matter march.

The SAE chapter at the University of Oklahoma was closed this month after video surfaced showing members engaging in a racist chant.

The UW fraternity’s chapter president, Michael Hickey, said SAE has investigated and believes the slurs came from nonmembers.

Hickey said in a statement his members were “concerned and shocked by these allegations, as we pride ourselves in the diversity of our chapter membership and racism is against the moral ethics of our local and national organization.”

The Black Student Union plans to seek sanctions against SAE from the body that governs the university’s fraternities.

During the march, student Dirir Abdullahi said Seattle police officers intervened to tell young men who were shouting slurs to quiet down.

A police spokesman said he could find no record documenting the incident.

Maggie Negussie, president of the BSU, said the fraternity sent a black member of the house to a meeting the BSU held about the incident.

“A lot of people saw that as disrespectful. He’s one of the only black males in their house and he actually didn’t even hold a position (of rank) in the fraternity,” she said.

Associated Press