Protesters oppose sale of university land to company for possible missile testing facility
Vandals upset by the sale of a University of Minnesota property to a potential missile testing company targeted five members of the Board of Regents late last week, spray painting the words “no missiles” on several of their homes.
The vandalism spree appeared to be connected to the regents’ recent decision to sell 60 acres to North Wind, a company that plans to build an aerospace facility on the land, the Minnesota Daily reports.
Early Thursday morning, the vandalism was discovered at the homes of Regents Penny Wheeler, Robyn Gulley, Janie Mayeron, and James Farnsworth, as well as Regent Mike Kenyanya’s parents’ home, a university source told the Minnesota Star Tribune.
“I’m deeply disappointed. I’m deeply disturbed that activism, which I think activism in general is a cornerstone of folks making their voice heard, has really crossed the line and turned, you know, into property damage …” Farnsworth told WCCO.
Local police are involved, the Star Tribune reports:
Police are investigating the incidents; it’s not clear if anyone has been arrested.
Gulley said the phrase “no missiles” was spray-painted outside her home and other Regents’ homes included more colorful language. An anonymous letter was also dropped off at their homes, urging Regents to reverse the sale. …
In May, U officials approved the $8.1 million sale of 60 acres in Rosemount to North Wind, which has facilities in Plymouth and St. Paul, so it can build the Minnesota Aerospace Complex.
Protesters also have spoken out against the sale during the regents’ recent meetings, according to the Daily:
While members of activist group UWar Park, made up of Educators for Justice in Palestine, Students for a Democratic Society and the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, say they are aware of the vandalism, they deny any involvement. Members say they have been in contact with affected regents and spoken with them about the vandals’ actions.
According to UWar Park, regents told them that along with the spray-painted messages, they were left letters urging them to vote against the University’s budget proposal for the site. Letters claimed the development of the testing site could damage public health and local wildlife, as well as further the University’s investments in engineering and defense companies that profit from war efforts.
Meanwhile, the university condemned the vandalism in a statement late last week.
“There is absolutely no place for threatening behavior or destruction of property within our community,” it stated. “These actions endanger safety, erode the fabric of our University community, and undermine the legitimacy of important causes that our students, faculty and staff care so deeply about.”
MORE: UMich leaders’ homes repeatedly vandalized with anti-Israel graffiti
IMAGE CAPTION AND CREDIT: A gate displays the name of the University of Minnesota; Ken Wolter/Shutterstock
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