Racial Controversy Brews In Wake Of Temple University Mob Attacks

Late last Friday night, October 21, several groups of juveniles, sometimes in crowds as large as 100, attacked, beat, and robbed students and law enforcement officers on Temple University's campus. Four were arrested and up to 50 were taken into custody, while an undetermined number of students were injured.

In the wake of any violent incident there is a consequence, a resulting fallout. Authorities and the community react and respond. And according to one Temple University student, racial profiling was one of those responses to the October 21 incident.

A letter to the editor published Thursday in the Temple University student newspaper alleges racial profiling in the wake of the attacks last Friday night. The article is entitled "I was racially profiled during the Temple attacks."

The letter, written by an African-American Temple student, says that he was denied entrance into the Wendy's on North Broad Street during the incident. But then just moments later, he said, a group of white students entered the Wendy's "with no problem."

The student, Brandon Walker, said that when he and his friends returned and displayed their Temple ID cards, the manager let them in, but said "don't start any problems tonight."

"So, do I want students to boycott the Wendy’s on North Broad and ruin their business for racially profiling black students? Well, not necessarily. I want to dig a little deeper into this issue. This only goes to show that these are the ugly attitudes and truths that some establishments have on campus toward African Americans. How can Temple be coined a diverse and culturally accepting community when the reality for black students suggests otherwise? I shouldn’t have to wear a Temple hoodie every time I go outside for people to know that I go here."

While some outlets have suggested that the attacks themselves were racially motivated - mostly black juveniles attacking a multiracial crowd of students and police - Temple University has maintained that in their investigation, no such racial motivation has been found.

The father of one of the victims, Joe Lauletta, asserted in the Philadelphia Tribunethat he does not believe the attacks were racially motivated at all.

Just days after the incident, another student was robbed on Oxford Street, according to police. A man came up to the female student, struck her in the face, and stole the bag she was carrying, authorities said.

Temple's Public Safety Office has established a Walking Escort Program to escort students safely home. A police investigation into the incident on October 21 remains ongoing.

Patch file photo.