A disturbing situation that evolved in Madison over the past weekend continues to make news.
During the Nebraska-Wisconsin game last Saturday night, television cameras showed a shot of the crowd in which one fan was seen wearing a mask of President Barack Obama with a noose around his neck. Said fan was also wearing black-and-white prison stripes.At the @UWBadgers game and there is a man with a mask of President Obama and a noose. This is racism, why was this allowed into the stadium? pic.twitter.com/zKEqhdDYny
— 😏 (@woahohkatie) October 29, 2016
The university’s response to the situation -- in particular a statement that read, in part, "[t]he costume, while repugnant AND COUNTER TO THE VALUES OF THE UNIVERSITY AND ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT, was an exercise of the individual’s right to free speech” -- came under heavy fire in the following days. So much so, in fact, that UW athletic director Barry Alvarez felt compelled to issue a statement in which he describes himself as “deeply troubled” and said their plan is to “have a revised policy in place” before the Badgers’ next home game.
I am deeply troubled by the incident from last Saturday’s game and I am sorry for the harm it caused. I am determined that nothing like this will happen again.
“I appreciated the opportunity to meet with a number of community leaders and students this afternoon to discuss our stadium policies. Our plan, before our next home football game, is to have a revised policy in place. Our department is committed to working collaboratively to make our stadium a great and safe place for fans to watch a football game.UW’s next home game will be Nov. 12 against Illinois.
