Racial slur sparks brawl at anti-racism rally on University of Michigan campus

Students rally outside student union

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Students rallied outside the student union while members of the Black Student Union met inside with university president Dr. Mark Schlissel and other administrators.

The meeting was spurred by a racial slur that was put on a student's dorm room door. Students blocked traffic to chant and tote signs.

While there were a few near-misses with traffic, everything was under control until a man got  out of his car and got into a fistfight with some of the students after calling one of them a racial slur. Police intervened and arrested him, which defused the situation.

Students continued chanting and marching until they came to Schlissel's home and put up posters and continued their rally.

In the crowd was Travon Sterns. He's the sophomore who came home from breakfast on Sunday to find his dorm room door defaced with the n-word.

"You never really know the impact that it can have on a person until it happens to you," he said. "For that to happen to me was so shocking and pretty devastating."

Sterns says the university reacted immediately, and while he does appreciate the support from everyone, the situation has been overwhelming.


About the Authors

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.

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