CLEMSON, SC – An incident that triggered days of protest in April over alleged racism on the Clemson University campus may not have been racially motivated.
7 News obtained emails through the Freedom of Information Act that show administrators discussing the incident in which bananas were left hanging on a banner promoting African-American history.
In the emails, administrators admitted two students came forward and confessed to their actions. The students, who were never identified by name, told school staffers they intended to throw the fruit on a nearby construction site as a protest against the noise workers made which often woke them up, the emails said.
Despite that information, the school never told students about the reason behind the incident. One administrator said it could be used as a “teachable moment.”
Efforts to reach Clemson University for comment were unsuccessful.