A petition is demanding that Louisiana State University (LSU) change its tiger mascot, calling the tiger “the most prevalent Confederate symbol in the United States.”

The change.org petition, “Change the Racist Mascot of LSU!”, suggests that it is “incredibly insulting” for black students to attend a school with the tiger mascot, reported Campus Reform.

LSU coined its tiger mascot in 1895, deriving it from the name used by Louisiana’s infantry in the Civil War. The school claimed that these troops were “known for their hard fighting.” The petition author, however, asserts that the Civil War infantry treated slaves violently and uses this argument as justification to change the mascot.

“It is already hard enough to be black at LSU, and these symbols must be changed,” the petition says. “We must speak truth to power, and continue to march toward justice. That day is coming, the day when every symbol of white oppression is torn down.”

“It’s also cruel to cage a wild animal for the amusement of privileged white people,” the anonymous author says. “They’ve never been in a cage!” (RELATED: LSU Tiger Mascot Mike VI Dies After Battling Cancer)

The petition has currently received over 400 signatures. The Daily Caller News Foundation reached out to LSU for comment, but received none in time for press.

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