A typical start to the school week escalated when three members of the Official Street Preachers gathered with signs at New Mexico State University twice in one week. These disruptive visitors staked their claim in front of the Corbett Center Student Union, creating an unsettling atmosphere for passersby.
On Monday, Sept. 22, and Tuesday, Sept. 23, self-proclaimed evangelists came to NMSU to condemn women’s rights, the LGBTQ+ community, and Black culture.
As a response to their presence and signs, NMSU community members gathered around them, holding pride flags and signs to protest against the street preachers. On Tuesday, after a counter protester threw purple paint onto the street preachers, they left and have not returned.
LGBTQ+ rights
The main topic the Official Street Preachers focused on Monday was the “biblical death penalty,” especially for members of the LGBTQ+ community. Two of the street preachers, David Grisham, held a black sign saying, “Support the Death Penalty,” and Luis Cortes held a green sign saying, “Homo Sex is Sin.”
On the back of the signs was a list of people, groups, and activities the street preachers said deserved the death penalty. The black sign listed homosexuals, rapists, murderers, and pedophiles. The green sign warned homosexual people, pedophiles, transgender people, and furies that “God will destroy you.”
Another street preacher, Dean Saxton, wore a t-shirt that said “Women are Property” on the front and, on the back, “Types of Property: Women Slaves Animals Cars Land Etc.”
Grisham emphasized the spiritual death penalty and the importance of repentance. Despite protests and negative reactions, Grisham defended their right to preach, citing freedom of speech. Grisham said the signs they were holding were “all scripturally based, whether or not you agree with it.”
Concerns were raised about the legality and impact of their actions, particularly regarding freedom of expression and student safety on campus.
“After Charlie Kirk got killed on a college campus, we decided to come out and talk on a college campus about the death penalty, because that’s going to be a big subject in our society and our culture for a while,” Grisham said.
He talked about the case of Tyler Robinson and said, “the government does have the authority by God to give the death penalty if the government so chooses.”
Braylon Williams, a freshman, said, “As a Christian myself, I appreciate his stances; it’s just the truth and biblical death penalty isn’t meaning you’re going to get the death penalty now. It just means eternally, you’re going to go to hell if you don’t prepare for your sins.”
Williams said he believes the street preachers were “teaching the truth exactly, how Charlie Kirk did and how you know Jesus would.”
A group of students from the LGBTQ+ community and allies gathered to unite and express their identities. Cody Rice, an undergraduate student from NMSU, was among the counter protesters. He expressed the harmful effects of the rhetoric.
“I think the biggest issue that I have, not only as a gay, trans man, but also the fact that it’s September, suicide awareness month, [is] this rhetoric has killed millions of people in my community,” Rice said.
Women’s rights
In addition to their message about the LGBTQ+ community, the street preachers also made claims about women, calling them property and blaming them for rape.
Student Imarii Orozco said Grisham singled her out for wearing a sports bra.
“He was like, if you go out like that now you can get raped, you’re asking to get raped,” Orozco said.
In a video the street preachers published on their YouTube channel, Grisham told a female NMSU student, “You should shut up, woman, because the men are speaking now.”
Saxton rejected multiple requests for comment from female staff members of The Round Up because he said he “doesn’t talk to property.”
Racist, Islamophobic, and antisemitic messaging
On Tuesday, Saxton and Grisham returned to spread provocative messages about Black and Muslim communities.
Grisham held a sign asking, “Is Slavery Wrong?” Saxton held a sign which read “George Floyd is burning in Hell” on the front and “Stop Worshipping Black Culture” on the back. Saxton wore a t-shirt which said, “Most Muslims are terrorists,” on the front and various claims about the Islamic prophet Muhammed on the back.
George Floyd was a Black man killed by a white police officer on May 25, 2020, after a store clerk accused him of paying with a counterfeit bill. His death sparked nationwide conversation around racially targeted police violence, with multiple protests taking place throughout the year.
Interreligious couple Elijah Cohen and Ashley M. Camilli said Saxton was also spreading antisemitic messaging.
“I’ve always been a Christian, born and raised, and I was just, you know, scowled that and told I was not a true Christian because I’m dating a man who is a Jew and I’m dating a Christ killer, and I’m going to burn in hell for that,” Camilli said.
Cohen said that while he supported the right to free speech, he felt Saxton and Grisham were being hateful.
“Right now, they’re trying to preach about God and everything,” Cohen said. “I don’t think they’re doing it the right way. I’m Jewish, so I don’t really preach too much, but I don’t think this is the right way of preaching anything right here.”
Police action
During the protest, a counter protester threw purple paint on Grisham’s sign, and some got on the surrounding crowd. Later, they came back and threw more paint.
The Round Up does not publish the names of suspects whose names the NMSU or Las Cruces Police have not released.
Soon after, both Grisham and Saxton began to leave the campus grounds, but not before talking with NMSU campus police about pressing charges against the paint-thrower. Grisham told the police the paint-thrower was aiming for his phone’s lens to interrupt his livestream.
The street preachers were not arrested or charged.
Police cars were parked near Corbett Center Student Union throughout the incident, and officers stood at the outskirts of the protest. Interim NMSU Police Chief Justin Dunivan said the police were there to maintain respectful dialogue.
“Obviously, the content of what’s there is troubling to many, so we’re just making sure that we’re here to maintain peace and that gives equal opportunity for both sides,” Dunivan said.
Dunivan also released this statement to The Round Up.
“In light of the events over the past two days near the Corbett Center, our priority remained on the safety of our campus students. From a law enforcement perspective, we had resources in place to equally protect everyone. If anyone was a victim of an unreported crime such as assault, battery, etc.; please contact our department (575-646-3311) to initiate an immediate investigation. The incident involving the paint being thrown remains an ongoing investigation.”
First Amendment protections
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees the rights to free exercise of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition. It applies not only to Congress, but to any federal institution, including federal universities. Based on historical court cases, it has been interpreted by the courts to include hate speech, but does not include incitement, true threats or fighting words, according to the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.
A paper handout Student Life distributed to student organizations, including The Round Up, on Wednesday describes the differences between protected and unprotected speech on campus. They provided guidance to NMSU staff, stating, “Act only if conduct crosses into threats, incitement, fighting words, or harassment,” and, “Always offer support to impacted students, even if speech is legally protected.”
Some students said they believed the street preachers were inciting violence, a type of speech not protected by the First Amendment. They expressed displeasure with how the incident was handled by NMSU police and officials.
Alberto del Campo, an organizer with NM Dream Team and member of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), held a sign inviting people to join SJP. He said his goal was to encourage students to get involved with NM Dream Team and SJP to “fight fascist, racist ideology, imperialist ideology, that’s like poisoning this campus right now.”
“They’ve also told people today that gay people should be allowed to be killed legally, and if that’s not inciting violence, I don’t know what is,” del Campo said.
“I think pointing out a woman and saying she deserves to be raped, it’s inciting violence,” del Campo added. “Or saying she’s asking to be raped, it’s inciting violence.”
Orozco expressed her dissatisfaction with the police response.
“I think the line that they have of what it means to incite violence is very blurry,” she said. “The fact that they can allow these, not even students, these outsiders to come into the campus . . . on a Monday or on a Tuesday to agitate the students, I don’t think it’s okay. I think this level of hate speech, like outright hate speech, should be fought by the school administration.”
Resources
NMSU Equity, Inclusion and Diversity, American Indian Programs, Latin American Programs, and LGBT+ Programs shared a collaborative post on Instagram to show their support for students affected by the events.
“For your safety and well being, please avoid the area if possible,” the post said. “If you engage with the hate speech remember policies, your rights, and be mindful of your actions they are trying to get a rise out of any counter protest, and using filming to weaponize any behavior.”
The NMSU Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Programs also said they offer mental health resources and rest areas for all students and recommended any students struggling to reach out to their C.A.R.E. Team.
