This story has been updated, as more information has become available.
WHITEWATER — Hours before the start of the spring semester at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, four people were seen on campus on Sunday reciting Nazi chants and racist epithets, and using lights to project a swastika onto the side of a residence hall.
UW-Whitewater Chancellor Corey King confirmed the incident in a statement Monday.
“The actions of the group last night are abhorrent and go against our core values. At UW-Whitewater, we strive to create a safe community where everyone feels a sense of belonging. We take pride in our Warhawk family. We reject hate in all its forms,” King said.
The statement said the UW-Whitewater Police Department received reports of four people outside of Knilans Hall residence hall chanting racist words and lighting what appeared to be road flares, and displaying antisemitic symbols on the side of the dorm building, which in photos and videos appear to be swastikas.
Photos and video of the incident have since circulated on social media, including a video posted on Facebook, viewable at .
Police “quickly responded,” King said in the release, but the four individuals had left the area by the time police arrived on the scene, which was later confirmed by surveillance video. No further sightings were reported, according to the statement.
The UW-Whitewater Police Department confirmed that it responded to the scene but declined further comment. A spokesperson for the police department told The 69 that as of Monday afternoon no arrests had been made and that the incident was still under investigation.
University officials said in the statement they believe there was no public safety threat but “in an abundance of caution,” the university had increased the police presence on the main campus.
Student reaction
UW-Whitewater students who spoke to a 69 reporter on campus late Monday afternoon said the incident was unnerving.
“They were kind of screaming, it was hard to understand what they were saying,” a female student told a reporter. “I just know it made a lot of people upset.”
Another student, Anca Wieck, who lives in an adjacent dorm, described seeing what she said was a swastika beamed onto the outside wall of Knilans Hall and said she heard chanting.
“They just kept chanting ‘there will be blood,’ over and over and over,” Wieck said.
Another student said a coach reached out to him and his water polo teammates Sunday night, saying “’hey guys, we heard about the group on campus, you know if anyone’s scared, please reach out, you don’t have to come to practice.’”
Other students, meanwhile, said they were taking the incident in stride.
“I don’t think anyone’s unsafe. Everyone thinks it’s stupid, because it is...as far as we know, they didn’t try to harm anyone or anything,” student Emersyn Burich said.
“It’s inappropriate. It’s 2024; get a life,” sophomore Allison Monfort said.
The UW-Whitewater Student Government released a statement Monday, saying it “has a zero tolerance for any calls for violence against any individual that calls UW-Whitewater home. We place the highest value on the inclusion and belonging of every student, and will not rest until every student feels safe and comfortable on our campus.”
The Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman issued a statement Tuesday morning condemning the actions of the four individuals.
"I share Chancellor King's outrage over the incident at UW-Whitewater led by a small group of people that appear to be unaffiliated with the unaffiliated with the university. It is appalling and disturbing," Rothman said.
In a Facebook Post Monday evening, Gov. Tony Evers condemned the demonstration, saying "I am thinking of the staff and students at UW-Whitewater affected by this horrific act of hate. We must condemn antisemitism, racism, bigotry, and hate in all its forms."
Review of video
In a review of a video circulating on social media The 69 heard chants of “there will be blood, blood, blood” and “we don’t need no spic s—,” and saw demonstration participants make a Hitler salute.
There were flashes of the swastika on the building and the words “Blood Tribe,” and another message on the wall that could not be made out.
The Blood Tribe is a neo-Nazi group that, according to the Anti-Defamation League, was formed in 2021 and will only admit men. Since its formation, members have held white supremacist gatherings, and in 2023, started to have anti-LGBTQ+ protests.
According to the league, members dress uniformly during protests in red shirts, black masks and black pants, as they shout racial and anti-LGBTQ+ slurs, wave swastika flags and gave Hitler salutes. That’s consistent with the clothing and behavior of the four people seen chanting outside of Knilans Hall.
“There will be blood, blood, blood” is a chant that is often heard at Blood Tribe demonstrations, according to the league.
In the video reviewed by The 69, three of the four individuals were dressed in red sweaters. A fourth was in a black sweater. At least three of the four were wearing black masks. A fourth demonstrator had a hood over their head, making it unclear if they were wearing a mask. No writing on the clothing specifying “Blood Tribe” was visible.
Previous demonstrations
The Blood Tribe was confirmed to have marched outside the Wisconsin State Capital on Nov. 18 performing Sieg heil salutes, carrying swastika flags and chanting “Israel is not our friend,” and “There will be blood.”
There were two other Blood Tribe demonstrations in Wisconsin in 2023, when the group targeted pride fests. The group targeted the Valley Wide Pride Festival on June 17 in Hudson and Pride in the Park in Watertown on July 29.
Anyone with information may contact the UW-Whitewater Police Department at police@uww.edu or 262-472-4660. Anyone on campus can arrange to have an officer escort them on campus by calling the non-emergency line at (262) 472-4660.
Counseling services are available for students at , and for faculty and staff at .
