Photo by Connor Baldwin

An MUPD officer was seen taking a photo of the poster and removing it yesterday evening.

Just two days after a racist poster was found on a lamp post outside of Cudahy Hall, a 4×6-inch sticker was found on a lamp post outside of Johnston Hall May 3.

While the motive of both the first poster and the second sticker remains unknown, Robert Smith, a Marquette history professor, also raised questions about why they may have been put up.

The Marquette Black Student Council, whose initially broke the news of the first racist poster released an additional statement Sunday regarding the investigation.

“A continuous and disheartening number of students have come to us expressing how they’ve been racially profiled by their professors or classmates,” BSC said in in an instagram post on May. 8. “On a weekly, if not daily basis, many Black students within the university are experiencing triggering events, making them feel as though they must transfer to receive an authentic college experience.

The image used in the first poster shows a Black person in a iron gag mask and punishment collar, which was “used when enslaved people tried to run away after being captured by the slave traders,” and inflicted pain when they would run into objects such as trees and bushes.

“The main question I have about the first poster is, ‘Was it done out of evil, or to raise commentary?'” Smith said.

The second sticker shows a Caucasian woman with what is known as a scold’s bridle, a device used in the 17th and 18th centuries specifically in the British Atlantic world. The device was used on women who would gossip about various topics and could be used on them at the discretion of their husbands.

The second poster was posted on the same day the Roe v. Wade draft opinion was leaked, leading Smith to see a connection.

Smith said this sticker could possibly generate conversation about the current state of our society.

“For the second one to come out on the day that the opinion is leaked that potentially overturns Roe, that reads as commentary to me,” Smith said.

Smith said this could be trying to generate how our government is currently treating the Roe v. Wade situation.

The Marquette University Police Department initially sent an email informing the Marquette community that it launched an investigation for the first poster May 3.

“Although this poster was found on our campus, at this time we do not know who is responsible for posting it,” MUPD said in an email.

At around 1 p.m. today, MUPD released an additional statement regarding the second sticker.

“Without a suspect at this time, the university cannot speculate the meaning or intent behind the images, or if the person responsible is a member of the Marquette community,” MUPD said in an email.

An MUPD officer was seen taking a photo of the picture as well as removing it yesterday evening.

MUPD said in the email that officers are continuing their search for a suspect and are monitoring for suspicious behavior. The email also said MUPD has inspected all campus light poles and no other stickers have been found.

This story is developing

Julia Abuzzahab, Skyler Chun, Alexandra Garner and Megan Woolard contributed to this report.

This story was written by TJ Dysart. He can be reached at [email protected]