White nationalist group linked to flyers at Henderson colleges
A white nationalist group known for targeting college campuses with its messaging has been linked to flyers posted at Nevada State College and the College of Southern Nevada’s Henderson campus.
The flyers prominently featured the name “American Identity Movement,” which is classified as a white nationalist hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League. It has been described as a rebranding of Identity Evropa, a white nationalist group whose members were linked to the deadly 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va.
CSN President Federico Zaragoza said in a message to the campus that the flyers, discovered on bulletin boards at CSN Henderson on Wednesday, “expressed a message contrary to the values of inclusion and cultural diversity that we celebrate at CSN.”
Zaragoza said the flyers at CSN were removed for violating posting rules guided by the Nevada System of Higher Education policy on Freedom of Expression, which states: “Members of the NSHE community are encouraged to promote an atmosphere of mutual respect that is aligned with institutional values of inclusivity, diversity and critical thinking.”
Nick Claus, a spokesman for Nevada State College, said flyers from the same group were “posted inside a few buildings on campus” and removed. He said the flyers provided “different messages about nationalism,” with one providing a link to the group’s website and another providing details about the organization’s beliefs.
NSC President Bart Patterson said in a statement Thursday that the university does not believe the flyers were posted by any faculty, staff or students.
“We are familiar with public views that have been expressed by the American Identity Movement that marginalize certain ethnicities,” he said. “Those views are diametrically opposed to the values of Nevada State College. We will continue to create a campus environment respectful to all.”
Last fall, flyers from the same group were found at the University of Nevada, Reno, and Truckee Meadows Community College. Students and faculty at UNR referenced the incident in a petition calling for the university to take action to combat hate on campus.
Contact Aleksandra Appleton at 702-383-0218 or aappleton@reviewjournal.com. Follow @aleksappleton on Twitter.
