American-Indian students said they are appalled at the display of racial insensitivity that occurred on campus Thursday.
Maria Williams, assistant professor of Native American Studies, and Steven Loza, director of the Arts of the Americas Institute, stated in a police report that a student coming out of Mitchell Hall began to yell at members of Tribe2, an American-Indian rap group. American-Indian students at the event said during the last 10 minutes of the concert, a student tried to unplug the amplifier because the group was disrupting his class.
The report states a man in his early 20s with blonde, shaggy hair wearing a forest green shirt and carrying a black backpack told students they were a bunch of "monkeys" speaking "gibberish," and they should return to the reservation.
According to the report, Officer Deanna Rush from the UNM Police Department was sent to Zimmerman Library's Cactus Garden at about 12:45 p.m.
"As a former prosecutor, this is a case that can be easily won, and it drips with hate crime," said John Gates, associate director of Native American Studies. "What we would like to see is the appropriate response from this community, to identify the individual and make sure that he is arrested."
The incident has been under investigation since it occurred, said UNMPD Lt. James Daniels. He declined to give details because he didn't "want to compromise the investigation."
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As part of the Red Rock Concert Series, Tribe2 was given permission to perform from noon until 1 p.m. Thursday.
"As a department, we're concerned on a number of levels," Gates said. "There were crimes committed here against students and faculty. To have a student just blatantly cuss out two professionals is completely unacceptable."
The man walked to his class in Mitchell Hall to retrieve his materials and left the area, according to the report.
Rush stated in the report that she spoke to the instructor who claimed he did not know the individual's name, neither did any of the students in the class.
She stated she went to the UNM Records and Registration Department to obtain a class list, and a follow-up investigation will be completed.
But Williams said she has yet to see that happen. She said she took a copy of a videotape that a student recorded during the incident and a statement to UNMPD on Friday, but that they refused to take it because they said they would lose it.
She said although officers were quick to arrive at the incident and were very nice, they have not produced a photo lineup for her.
"It was such a serious incident, and it was of violent nature," Williams said. "I am not sure what is taking so long."
Daniels declined to comment on the time the investigation has been taking.
According to an e-mail from Peter White, dean of University College, he spoke with the UNM chief of police Tuesday, and they are forwarding a criminal complaint to the district attorney's office.
Hate crime is not listed as a category of violation in the student code of conduct, said Randy Boeglin, dean of students. If a group or individual is found responsible, and the violation is found to have a hate dimension, the sanction can be more consequential, he said.
"The University is actively pursing this incident through the campus police and the Dean of Students Office," said Laurie Mellas Ramirez, UNM spokeswoman. "We are very concerned. This behavior will not be tolerated. Diversity is one of our major goals, and we take great pride in our Native-American students and their accomplishments."
