A group of black students was asked to leave a Donald Trump event on the campus of Valdosta State University in Georgia on Monday night in an incident recorded (in part) by a Des Moines Register/USA Today reporter and at least one of the students themselves.*
USA Today reported that the students were asked to leave the rally before Trump began speaking by members of the Secret Service; the Trump campaign denies making the request and a Secret Service member at the event told CNN that the organization would not help a campaign perform such an action. The law enforcement officials in the videos taken at the event appear to be local officers.
From USA Today:
“We didn’t plan to do anything,” said a tearful Tahjila Davis, a 19-year-old mass media major, who was among the Valdosta State University students who was removed. “They said, ‘This is Trump’s property; it’s a private event.’ But I paid my tuition to be here.”
Valdosta State University opened in 1913 but did not enroll a black student until 1963.
*Correction, March 1, 2016: This post originally misstated that the removal of the students was recorded on video; the available videos depict some moments from the students’ removal and interactions with law enforcement but not the entire incident.
