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The University of Washington is asking for evidence that members of the SAE fraternity made “insensitive comments and rude gestures” to Black Lives Matter protesters during a march last month.
Members of UW's Black Student Union say SAE fraternity members called marchers apes and gave them the middle finger as the group walked by the fraternity house.
"First they were flicking us off, then they started screaming and yelling 'You apes, why are you here?' This is our campus," said Dirir Abdullahi, who marched on February 25.
This accusation comes to light as investigations continue into racism at a Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity chapter at University of Oklahoma, where a racist chant was caught on video in Oklahoma last weekend.
UW SAE's president Michael Hickey told KIRO that he doesn't believe his fraternity members were involved in any comments made during the Feb. 25 march.
He says it’s his understanding, based on an internal investigation, that the people yelling the remarks were on the sidewalk – not on SAE property.
"If there were members of our house found guilty of these things, we want them brought to justice," said Hickey,
But UW's Black Student Union president, Maggie Negussie, said she thinks SAE needs to be held responsible.
"I would definitely disagree with them not being on the property, because I personally saw white males on the property of SAE," said Negussie, who marched that day.
Negussie said she asked SAE for an apology and never got one.
"Racism seems to be pretty deeply entrenched in their fraternity," said Negussie.
In the meantime, UW is asking for photos, videos or recordings to be sent to OFSL@uw.edu.
For now, they say, they are still gathering information to figure out what happened.
UW calls the alleged remarks "grossly insensitive."
In a statement, UW'S Vice President for Student Life wrote:
"If and when we can determine what occurred, we will take appropriate steps to deal with it."
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