U of Illinois chancellor sends email after chalking incident

URBANA, Ill. (AP) - The interim chancellor at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign has sent an email to the campus addressing what she calls "painful" speech.

Barbara Wilson sent the email Wednesday after The (Champaign) News-Gazette reports (http://bit.ly/1qvViM8 ) there were messages written in chalk on campus saying "They have to go back #Trump," ''Build the Wall" and "Trump Deportation Force." The newspaper reports the apparent references to GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump appeared near the campus Latina/Latino Studies building.

Wilson refers to "chalking on the Quad" in her message sent to students, faculty and staff. She says it is one of what can be "often painful moments." She says the campus needs to "support one another as we strive to address divisive issues."

The letter says the university recognizes offensive speech is protected by the First Amendment.

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Information from: The News-Gazette, http://www.news-gazette.com