A man holding an inflammatory sign with a racist slur was arrested by the VCU Police Department after a crowd gathered around him outside Cabell Library this morning.
Tyler W. Lloyd, 27, of North Chesterfield was arrested and charged with trespassing after police asked him to leave VCU and he refused, according to a police spokesperson. Lloyd returned to campus in the afternoon and was arrested again for trespassing. Lloyd is not a VCU student or employee.
“Police advised the man that he was causing a disruption to operations and asked him to leave VCU property,” VCU PD said in a statement. “When he refused, he was arrested.”
“2018 New Year’s resolution for Black guys: Prevent n*gga moments,” the sign read.
At one point, the man used a racist slur while responding to a student who called him hateful.
“If you can’t address the word n*gger, you’re the one being hateful,” he said to a group of students.
A Black VCU police officer addressed the crowd, asking them to ignore the man and go to class.
“I understand you are upset, I totally understand,” the officer said. “But at the same time … You’re fueling this. Thats all you’re doing.”
The man holding the sign was later arrested as the crowd gathered around him cheered. VCU Police did not immediately respond to comment. It is unclear whether the man who was arrested is a student at VCU.
The following videos were produced by and provided to the Commonwealth Times. Some of them contain explicit content.
Today @VCU : the obsession of why white people cant say the n word reaches a a new high. pic.twitter.com/6CxmUjjj0V
— Siona (@seeohnah) December 7, 2017
People reacted by playing a trombone over the guy’s words and some people have come with signs calling for “peace.” pic.twitter.com/NA2TDYX0Pv
— Siona (@seeohnah) December 7, 2017
Today @VCU: People started to walk up to the Black officer and hug him. The guy with the poster said “I wouldn’t call him (the officer) a nigger because I actually respect him.” Poster guy didn’t respond when asked his name. pic.twitter.com/HoPi31aHev
— Siona (@seeohnah) December 7, 2017
Today @VCU: More officers have joined the scene. “I think coming to a liberal campus and doing this doesn’t make sense,” a student said. “He wants us to react and do something to be violent to prove his point.” @theCT pic.twitter.com/mIihbamEYN
— Siona (@seeohnah) December 7, 2017
Today @VCU: Officers are requesting students go to class. “I understand y’all are upset, I totally understand,” said officer in video below. “But only thing you’re doing right now is you’re fueling this.” @theCT pic.twitter.com/MNDbtxXZsl
— Siona (@seeohnah) December 7, 2017
Today @VCU: video update of arrest on campus. @theCT pic.twitter.com/7SW75kacDc
— Siona (@seeohnah) December 7, 2017
Siona Peterous, Spectrum Editor
Fadel Allassan, Managing Editor at Large