Photo courtesy of Parker Rose
Poster outside Spencer Honors House, accusing Michael Williams, Ph.D candidate and Biology Teacher’s Assistant, of white supremacy.
Emma Owen
Blazer News Reporter
emmaowen@uab.edu
This Sunday, posters flooded campus featuring Michael Williams’, Ph.D candidate and Biology Teacher’s Assistant, picture, alongside claims accusing Williams of serving as pledge coordinator of the white nationalist group known as Identity Europa. Other claims on the poster said that Williams is an avid listener of Daily Shoah, a Neo-Nazi Podcast that frequently promotes genocide.
Paulette Dilworth, Ph.D. and Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, issued a statement regarding this situation. Dilworth said UAB is against any kind of hate and is aware of the issue at hand.
“UAB is a richly diverse and inclusive campus that is committed to protecting free speech while maintaining a culture of respect and civility that is aligned with our vision, mission and values,” Dilworth said in the statement issued on Monday. “While we may find certain beliefs repugnant, those beliefs are not a reflection of UAB or the mission we uphold and values we live every day.
Sources close to Williams said that while they are not permitted to speak with media outlets, they would like to set the record straight.
“There is a lot of erroneous information about this issue out there,” said Steven Austad, Distinguished Professor and Department Chair in the Department of Biology.“However, I have been instructed by UAB officials not to talk to the press. I apologize for this as I would very much like to clarify some of the hateful misinformation that is being spread.”
Dilworth said that the university will address any situation where there is evidence that “UAB’s Code of Conduct, Equal Employment Opportunity, Title IX or other applicable policies have been violated.”
