University Police investigate vandalism of candidates’ campaign signs, ASB officers release statement

The Daily Mississippian The University Police Department is investigating an incident Friday night involving the vandalism of Associated Student Body candidates’ campaign signs.
Some candidates running in the ASB executive officer race had their campaign signs pushed over, damaged or painted on. The signs were set back up later that night.
Pictures circulating on social media showed secretary candidate Dylan Wood’s signed defaced with green and black paint. Green paint spelled the letters “BLM!” on the sign, and black paint covered the top of the Mississippi state flag, marking out the Confederate emblem.
Wood found out his sign was defaced Saturday morning when his friends texted him photographs of it.
Courtesy Facebook
Wood said he was in disbelief and saddened when he found out what happened to his sign. He said everyone is entitled to his or her own opinions and those opinions should be expressed, but he would never deface someone else’s property to express his opinion or dissatisfaction with someone else’s opinion.
“I was just sad because I feel like anyone who knows me knows that black lives do matter to me and that being proud of being from Mississippi does not have to mean that I do not care about others,” Wood said.
He said ASB is doing everything it can to handle the situation.
“The attorney general, Brent Ferguson, is doing his very best to help me in whatever ways he can,” Wood said.
Wood said he wants a conversation to come out of this incident.
Courtesy Facebook
“I don’t even want the student who did it to be punished for their actions, but I would like the opportunity to sit down with them face-to-face and explain how just because I support my state’s flag, that does not mean that any life is less valuable to me,” Wood said. “I’d also like the ...


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