Pro-ISIS Message Scrawled On Youngstown University’s Campus Rock In Ohio
A pro-ISIS message was seen scrawled on Youngstown University’s campus rock in Youngstown, Ohio.
Fox News reports that the pro-Islamic and anti-French message was spray-painted onto the large rock at the center of the Ohio college campus.
The graffiti on the rock at Youngstown State University read, “YSU supports ISIS,” “France deserves destruction,” and “We are coming.”
Next to the statements were Islamic-type symbols.
Students received a text message alert about the pro-ISIS message defacing the rock, but it was added that no “credible threat” was detected in the unsettling message painted on the rock.
The text message read, “Messages of concern were found on the rock. Police are investigating. No credible threat to campus currently. Any info call YSU Police: 330-941-3527.”
My brother and sister attend Youngstown State and this was on their campus rock today. So theres that. pic.twitter.com/vbibAiXUiw
— Megh (@meghahan) November 23, 2015
Associate Vice President for University Relations Shannon Tirone told The Blaze that officials were in the midst of reviewing security camera footage to learn more. Shannon shared that the university is taking the pro-ISIS message threats on the rock seriously.
“We take those threatening messages very seriously,” Tirone said. “With everything going on around the world today, we make sure we look into everything.”
The university plans to prosecute the individual or individuals responsible for writing the messages to the fullest extent for creating panic on campus — and it doesn’t matter if those individuals are affiliated with the Islamic State or not.
Meghan Brammer, who posted photos of the rocks on Twitter, has two siblings attending Youngstown University. She says the pro-ISIS messages on the rock are “scary.”
“Whether it was serious or just someone pulling a prank — its not something to joke around about,” Brammer said.
It’s believed that the message was sprayed on the rock either late Sunday night or early Monday morning, Tirone said. The campus rock is normally associated with school spirit, homecoming events, or student organizations. By Monday morning, the messages that made everyone uneasy were painted over.
Youngstown State University has approximately 15,000 students in northeast Ohio.
On Sunday, President Barack Obama cautioned against an overreaction to Islam extremists following the Paris attacks on November 13. The attacks left 130 dead and several injured.
According to Yahoo News, Obama said that Americans shouldn’t sacrifice their moral standards and way of life by trying to fight back at the Islamic State. He urged citizens to step back and not “succumb” to fears spewed by the extremist group.
“We do not succumb to fear,” Obama said. “The most powerful tool we have to fight ISIL is to say that we’re not afraid, to not elevate them, to somehow buy into their fantasy that they’re doing something important.”
The president is trying to quell the fears that many Americans have following the Paris attacks. He explains that by preparing to battle them violently, the nation is playing into the hands of ISIS.
He went on to say that ISIS is nothing but killers that have a good social media standing.
“I think it is absolutely vital for every country, every leader, to send a signal that the viciousness of a handful of killers does not stop the world from doing vital business,” Obama said.
Obama will meet with world leaders in Paris next week where the sole focus will be on climate talks.
Will there be more pro-ISIS messages like the one found on a university rock in Ohio? With the surge of Syrian refugees and turmoil spilled by ISIS, it’s safe to assume that Americans are struggling to find a sense of calm in light of all the threats and violence that continues.
[Image via Twitter]
