Nationwide HBCU Lockdowns Trigger Renewed Calls for Federal Hate Crime Probe
Nationwide HBCU Lockdowns Trigger Renewed Calls for Federal Hate Crime Probe
Multiple Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across the Southern United States were forced into lockdown or canceled classes yesterday following a series of potential threats to campus safety. The widespread disruption has reignited urgent calls for a federal investigation into what many leaders are decrying as a targeted campaign of domestic terrorism.
Hampton University, Virginia State University, Bethune-Cookman University, and Alabama State University were among the institutions that initiated lockdowns after receiving credible threats. Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia, also issued a shelter-in-place order, which was later lifted. Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, canceled all campus activities and classes through the weekend after lifting its lockdown order.
The exact nature of the threats has not yet been fully disclosed, though authorities are working closely with law enforcement partners to assess credibility and respond. This incident echoes a wave of similar bomb threats that targeted numerous HBCUs in early 2022, leading to federal charges against a minor. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries condemned the latest threats as ‘despicable’ and indicative of an ‘explosion of hateful extremism,’ urging the Department of Justice to investigate potential acts of domestic terrorism and ensure Black college students are not left vulnerable.
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