Update: Items previously thought to be nooses hanging from a campus tree were identified by officials as remnants of lanterns from a previous event.

Three noose-like items found hanging from trees on the campus of the University of Delaware are being investigated as a hate crime.

On Monday, about 100 students stood in silent demonstration – holding a #BlackLivesMatter banner – before Fox News pundit, Katie Pavlich, spoke at the school. Students gathered to protest the appearance of Pavlich, who has called the Black Lives Matter movement a “violent hate group”.

On Tuesday night, a student found the noose-like items hanging from a tree in front of the campus building where the event was hosted. The student took a picture and it began circulating on social media.

There are nooses being hung at my school @udelpolice @UDelaware @udreview ya’ll gonna notify students or nah? pic.twitter.com/dPER07yxxq — Doug Dimmadome (@flakkonupe) September 23, 2015

STUDENTS. It’s imperative that you share this! @UDelaware doesn’t want anyone to know and they want us to be silent pic.twitter.com/MKpf5b8K6F — Black Student Union (@bsu_udel) September 23, 2015

A noose hanging outside of Mitchell Hall at The University of Delaware a day after a BLM demonstration. #TheRealUDel pic.twitter.com/ufDulaVCd6 — Cami ✨ (@camilaandreaa__) September 23, 2015

Interim university President Nancy Targett issued a statement online.

“UD Police are investigating a racist display found outside of Mitchell Hall tonight and it is being investigated as a hate crime,” she said.

In another email, she stated, “Such cowardly and reprehensible acts are clearly designed to intimidate and frighten, and they are unacceptable on our campus. These hateful acts stand in stark contrast to the peaceful protest and discussion held near the same spot just one day earlier.”

But she then sent a second message to the campus this morning in which she said that the apparent nooses were “the remnants of paper lanterns” from a previous event. Student leaders issued a call for a campus wide gathering in response to the items found. Students also questioned the legitimacy of the claim.

“As students of color and allies for students of color, our visibility is holding this institution accountable to not allow groups that target students of color and advocate systematic forms of oppression,” said Amefika Sababu, a student who helped raise awareness of the incident.