A public university has canceled classes today in order to orchestrate a witchhunt to “go after” the “trolls and lowlifes” who allegedly posted “hate speech” on social media.

In a statement on the school’s website, Western Washington University President Bruce Shepard announced all classes would be canceled on Nov. 24 after “hate speech” was discovered on social media.

He elaborated:

Yesterday, we observed social media being used for hate speech targeted at Western students of color. I need to be VERY clear here: we are not talking the merely insulting, rude, offensive commentary that trolls and various other lowlifes seem free to spew, willy nilly, although there has been plenty of that, too. No, this was hate speech.

Yes, a university president actually wrote that “lowlifes seem free to spew” offensive speech.

Due to the “ongoing law enforcement investigation,” Shepard did not elaborate on the content of the social media postings.

Although there was no threat against the school or the community, Shepard surmises the speech qualifies as a criminal offense that deserves punishment:

These are likely crimes in my view (and in the view of those in the criminal justice system we immediately involved). I cannot go into the details of an ongoing law enforcement investigation. Other than to assure you that this investigation is the highest priority of our campus law enforcement colleagues.

Shepard stated that no matter what, the individuals who perpetrated the alleged hate speech crime would be dealing with “the criminal justice system.” He also implied the perpetrators, if they are identified as students, would be expelled:

We do not know if the perpetrators are Western students. If not, they face the criminal justice system. If so, they also face the criminal justice system. And, when it comes to being associated with Western, I promise you it will not be for long. […] We need time to press the criminal investigation and to plan how, as a campus, we will come together to demonstrate our outrage, to listen to each other, and to support each other. So, I have decided to cancel classes today in order to provide that time.

If it was not made clear, Shepard explicitly stated, “we are going after them”:

Have no doubt: this is not a capitulation to those I described as trolls and lowlifes. We are going after them. Rather, the pause is necessary so that we may learn more as we advance the law enforcement investigation and, together, plan responses that will make us stronger. In a phrase I often hear you use, it is because “Western Cares.”

According to the student paper, The Western Front, the social media posts “followed a campus wide discussion about the university mascot, the vikings.”

The Western Front previously reported a survey would be created to address concerns over the Viking mascot and its lack of diversity.

Western Washington University did not immediately return MRCTV’s request for comment.