University of Washington officials say a man who disrupted a lecture in Kane Hall with Nazi salutes and slurs on Wednesday is not affiliated with the school and has been banned from campus.
According to UW, the man entered the classroom during a lecture, interrupted the session by making Nazi salutes, and shouted insults at both the instructor and students.
Video posted online shows several dozen students and the instructor following him out of the lecture hall and chase him toward Drumheller fountain.
The group huddled around the man until University of Washington Police officers arrived and took him into custody.
The university said the case is still under investigation, but criminal charges are expected to be referred to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
UW said it is “committed to maintaining a safe and secure environment and will continue to do everything possible to ensure our community’s safety.”
KIRO 7 News spoke with the suspect Thursday who said he’s a “Nazi sympathizer” and was trying to “troll” the class.
One student in the class, who spoke with KIRO 7 News, said the man showed up twice during the lecture, and at one point was about two feet away from him.
The suspect entered near the door, gave a Nazi salute, and used a racial slur.
He left shortly afterward but returned about 40 minutes later, this time entering from the stairs and shouting about how the class was teaching “degeneracy” before calling students slurs.
The student said they confronted the man, telling him to leave.
When he walked out, students followed him calling for campus security and urging classmates not to hurt him.
The student said they followed, calling for campus security and urging classmates not to hurt him.
“He clearly was not a threat at that point and was trying to run,” they wrote. “That does not excuse his garbage behavior, but it is not worth risking an assault charge to stop someone disturbing the peace.”
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