Law Enforcement Addresses Safety Ahead of Confederate Rally

By Talbert Toole
Lifestyles Editor
talbert.toole@hottytoddy.com

After two Confederate groups announced their intent to disrupt a student-led organization’s national convention the afternoon of Feb. 23 with the Mississippi Stands Rally; the University of Mississippi released a statement Wednesday that left many members of the LOU community with questions.

However, in an additional statement sent to university affiliates Monday afternoon, University Police Chief Ray Hawkins addressed several of those questions regarding safety on campus.

The rally comes in the midst of the Students Against Social Injustice’s (SASI) 22nd United Students Against Sweatshop national convention, also hosted the same weekend.

SASI is the local chapter of the national student-led organization United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS). According to the group’s mission statement, they are committed to providing a safe, welcoming environment for marginalized persons on campus.

SASI led a rally Nov. 27 to promote awareness of “Steps for Justice” where they outlined three demands for the UM administration to remove the statue, implement a hate speech policy and increase dialogue. 

The first press release sent Feb. 13 to the UM community titled “Concerning Late February Events” said maintaining a safe environment for students, faculty, staff and visitors remains the university’s top priority and heralded the institutional commitment to free speech. 

“University leaders have been engaged with appropriate authorities to ensure the safety of our community,” the press release stated.

Questions concerning the unnamed event were diverted to UM Provost Noel Wilkin and the university police department. 

Press inquiries reached as far as Wilkin’s administrative assistant, Katherine Slone.

“Dr. Wilkin will be happy to answer any questions you may have if they are regarding a UM-related event,” she said in an email. “If not, all security-related questions are being directed to the University Police Department.”

Rod Guajardo, associate director of strategic communications, said “the message shared this morning (Feb. 13) will stand as the university’s statement at this time,” after inquiries for additional information.

In Monday’s announcement Hawkins addressed a major concern that seemed to stem from the community—weapons on campus.

A Community Outcry

George Johnson, a leader of the Confederate 901 group, stated in a Facebook video Feb. 2 that members could — by state law — posses a weapon only if they had an enhanced carry permit.

Concern rapidly grew among university faculty, staff and students regarding the discussion around weapons. The University of Mississippi Weapons on Campus policy states “except under the narrow circumstances outlined in this policy, the possession of firearms on campus is prohibited and constitutes a felony under Mississippi law.”

One of those narrow circumstances is allowing those who possess an enhance conceal permit to carry on campus grounds. UM Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel, Erica McKinley, said that the policy had been updated clarifying those who are allowed to carry on campus. 

The updated policy forbids any university affiliate including students, faculty, staff or employees to possess a firearm on campus. Only law enforcement and those considered “authorized persons”—individuals who have in their possession a valid, unexpired state enhanced concealed carry firearms permit or the equivalent permit issued by a state with a reciprocity agreement with Mississippi—can carry. No other weapons are allowed on campus and UPD said University Ave. will be closed to vehicular traffic west of the intersection with Grove Loop and around University Circle.

Confederate 901 posted on its Facebook page Feb. 16 the route members plan to take from the courthouse to the University Circle. Photo via Confederate 901 Facebook.

The updated policy also clarifies where firearms, regardless of an enhanced carry permit, are forbidden in any public campus locations and non-public institutional locations.

The policy previously stated that weapons and firearms were also prohibited within 500 feet of “any concert, parade or rally in progress regardless of whether the individual possesses an Enhanced Carry Permit.” The updated policy does not include this section.

Hawkin’s announcement reiterated the university’s campus weapons policy.

Students Assemble Counter-Protest

Between 80 to 100 students plan to gather on the Lafayette County Courthouse lawn on Saturday to counter protest the Confederate groups, said Will Pipes, organizer of the “Anti-Confederate Counter Rally.” 

“It turns out there were a lot of people on campus who wanted to lend their voice to a movement that was saying something back to people trying to characterize the university and characterize the South the way it used to be,” Pipes said.

Billy Sessions, another leader of the Confederate 901 and Hiwaymen, said in a video on Feb. 10 that the counter-protest looks to entice violence. Pipes said the group believes in the opposite—peaceful, non-violent protesting.

Johnson and Sessions both stated in videos that their rally looks to promote a safe and peaceful protest; however, in a video posted on Feb. 17, Sessions stated that if a counter-protester envokes violent behavior he would get physical. 

“This is not about violence,” Pipes said. “This is about discourse.”

Four university organizations released a joint statement late last week regarding the Confederate protest: UM Pride Network, OUTLaw, SASI and OUTGrads.

“Event organizers and attendees demonstrate their continued investment in white supremacy and white supremacist myths that devalue the lives and dismiss the experiences African-Americans, Black people, and people of color in the U.S.,” the statement reads.

The statement calls for the removal of the Confederate statue on campus.

Sessions denied in a Facebook video that his groups have any connection with white supremacy. 

Safety Measures by Law Enforcement

Local law enforcement officials with the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department and Oxford Police Department said they have met with UPD several times over the last two weeks to discuss security.

The Mississippi Stands Rally will begin at the Lafayette County Court House and follow a route to the Circle on the University campus.

“We are providing extra patrols and deputies at the courthouse for the citizens as well as protesters,” said LCSD Chief Investigator Alan Wilburn. “The Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department will assist OPD with any problems as the rally makes its way to the university. Extra precautions have been taken to ensure the safety of the public.”

Wilburn said the groups did apply for a permit, which was granted by Lafayette County since the Courthouse is county property.

No permit was required for the city of Oxford since the event will begin at the courthouse; however, Mayor Robyn Tannehill said the city will be assisting the sheriff’s department and UPD as needed.

“As with all such meetings and events that are held in Oxford, we are prepared to provide security for the attendees and the bystanders,” she told Hottytoddy.com. “The weekend of Feb. 23 will be a busy weekend in Oxford as we have the Ole Miss vs Georgia men’s basketball game that day and numerous other conferences and events in town.”

In addition to both rallies, several other events are planned for Saturday, Feb. 23:

Photo via the university’s website.

The Mississippi Stands rally is slated to begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 23. Organizers plan to meet at the Confederate monument on the courthouse lawn and march to the Confederate monument in the Circle.  

Editor-in-Chief Anna Grace Usery and News Editor Alyssa Schnugg contributed to this report