Anti-Trump graffiti found in Wilbur

Nov. 11, 2016, 12:12 a.m.

On the morning after the presidential election, Cole Holderman ’19 found large black graffiti letters spelling out expletives against President-elect Donald Trump on the ground outside of Wilbur Dining.

(COLE HOLDERMAN/The Stanford Daily)
(Courtesy of Cole Holderman)

The anxiety and anger following the presidential election had been physically expressed in multiple instances of graffiti around Wilbur, particularly concentrated near Soto, Trancos and Rinconada. Sites included both the ground outside the dorms and the walls surrounding dumpsters.

A contractor was hired to remove the graffiti on Wednesday morning, but faint letters remain visible and are still in the process of being removed. Graffiti has also been found near Serra.

Dan Holland ’19, a resident of Trancos, believed that the protestors should focus on fostering dialogue with people of different political views instead of vilifying them.

“By ostracizing the other side, it just makes the problem worse. I understand the frustration, and it’s justified frustration and anger and fear, but it’s really the same thing that Trump supporters were doing to us,” he said.

“This is what lost Clinton the campaign,” Holderman concurred. “People who think they are doing the right thing going out and bashing the candidate or bashing the support of the candidate without actually engaging them on policy.”

Apart from the graffiti incident, the widespread discontent on campus after the election has seen several student organizations offer healing spaces for the Stanford community.

Lizzie Rizcalla, a Wilbur Dining employee, thought that the action was inappropriate. At the same time, she expressed her displeasure with the election results and understood Clinton supporters’ impulse to protest.

“It’s a way to take out anger,” she said.

 

Contact Claudia Heymach at cheymach ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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