Administrators at the University of California, Davis, have condemned past remarks by an English professor after comments he made about killing police officers were resurfaced by the school’s student newspaper.

According to a column this week in The California Aggie newspaper, professor Joshua Clover publicly wished death on police officers in 2014 and 2016. The Aggie columnist wished to highlight Mr. Clover’s comments and their “life-threatening implications” following the recent death of Davis Officer Natalie Corona, who was ambushed by a gunman and killed last month.

“I am thankful that every living cop will one day be dead, some by their own hand, some by others, too many of old age #letsnotmakemore,” Mr. Clover reportedly tweeted in November 2014.

“I mean, it’s easier to shoot cops when their backs are turned, no?” he reportedly tweeted in December of that same year.

“People think that cops need to be reformed. They need to be killed,” he reportedly said in an interview in 2016.

Mr. Clover’s Twitter account was reportedly set to private soon after the student columnist contacted him. Asked to defend his past remarks, the professor responded, “I think we can all agree that the most effective way to end any violence against officers is the complete and immediate abolition of the police.”

On Tuesday, university officials released a statement condemning Mr. Clover’s comments.

“The UC Davis administration condemns the statement of Professor Clover,” read a statement to The Sacramento Bee from UC Davis spokeswoman Dana Topousis. “It does not reflect our institutional values and we find it unconscionable that anyone would condone much less appear to advocate murder.”

The college said it had not received any formal complaints against Mr. Clover.

“Public statements like those made by Professor Clover are accorded a high level of protection under the First Amendment,” Ms. Topousis said.

UC Davis police Chief Joe Farrow called Mr. Clover’s comments “disappointing.”

“Our officers are dedicated professionals who have and will continue to rise above calls for violence against them,” Chief Farrow said, The Sacramento Bee reported. “Nonetheless, it’s regrettable they have to endure such vile hatred. I always try to remain positive, and we are keenly aware of what’s going on in the nation with the perception of law enforcement. We try to understand the criticism and build upon that. It’s a reminder to myself that there’s a lot of work to be done.”

Asked for comment by a local CBS affiliate, Mr. Clover, who is currently on medical leave, responded, “On the day that police have as much to fear from literature professors as Black kids do from police, I will definitely have a statement.”

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