Popular Warwick Facebook page closed after ‘racist’ post

Popular Facebook page ‘Best Warwick Snapchat’ has issued a formal apology and has now been deleted after a ‘racist’ photo it posted caused outraged anger and opposition from Warwick students.

The snapchat shows a photo of a male, thought to be a Warwick student, tied up in a net, with the caption “I caught me a n*****!!”.

The photo was posted on the ‘Best Warwick Snapchat’ Facebook page Sunday evening, but was soon deleted after a series of angry messages from Warwick students.

Warwick Anti-Racism Society (WARSoc) immediately released a statement via Facebook, condemning the post. Warwick students also supported WARSoc’s statement by taking to Twitter to speak out against the photo.

The ‘Warwick Best Snapchat’ page in response posted an apology, which expressed “deep apologies for those who have been shocked by [their] last snap”.

The apology went on to explain: “We receive dozens of snaps everyday and we do not always pay careful attention to each of them. We would like you to understand and accept our apologies for this clear lack of judgment.

“Our goal is to make this page a place of entertainment and joy. In this revision period, we all need a break and share the fun.”

The Facebook page was subsequently deleted on Monday morning after students continued to voice their discontent on social media.

[Update: a new Best Warwick Snapchat Facebook page has been started as of 4pm on Monday 26 May]

Fi Smart, first-year English Literature undergraduate, said: “I’d say it’s a shame that the page isn’t there anymore for people to enjoy, but losing a page is nothing compared to the losses that are involved with being a victim of prejudice.”

Former president of Warwick Anti-Racism Society, told the Boar: “We took objection to the photo because it was shared on a public platform.

This scandal has shown that this kind of humour is not to be tolerated and has caused massive amounts of anger and hurt. Racism has no place on our campus.”

Mems Ayinla, a first-year Law student, expressed her opposition to the snapchat.

“I am appalled by some of the behaviour at Warwick,” she said. “As a student I am very tired of casual racism.”

This not the first time the issue of racism at Warwick has been at the centre of student focus, after various sports clubs hosted ‘slave auction’ events earlier this year, which caused controversy among the student body.

A student, who wished not to be named, commented: “Personally I felt like it was a case of harmless but ignorant banter, and a degree of stupidity. But it resulted in a partly justified, but nevertheless significant overreaction from the black community.

“If it was a deliberate and malicious attempt to ridicule black people and our heritage then the reaction is justified, however it seems to me as I said earlier as harmless, highly ignorant and stupid banter.”

‘Warwick Best Snapchat’ is a page on Facebook where Warwick students can submit interesting and funny snapchats, for them to be shared with the wider University community.

The page was set up in December 2013 and has been popular with Warwick students since then.