Elliot Hilden, co-executive editor

On Sept. 30, two Christian protesters stood for several hours at a crosswalk on 22nd Ave S, just a few feet away from the stairs to the Quad. One protester held a large sign with several phrases such as “JESUS DIED (TO SAVE PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS)” and “BELIEVE ON JESUS CHRIST YOU SHALL BE SAVED.” At his feet, a sign sat, adorned with a paragraph about people who watch pornography, stating that “porn rewires the brain. Makes: Sex Zombies, Rapists, Peeping Toms, Homosexuals, Perverts, Voyeurists, Pedophiles, and SERIAL KILLERS.” While initially quiet, their presence eventually drew in a crowd of 20+ Augsburg students who began to engage in debate with the protesters. 

This event was not the first time that Augsburg had the presence of religious, more specifically Christian, protesters on campus, and it was heavily contested by students. When asked what was different this time, one Augsburg student, who has chosen to remain anonymous, stated that “Tensions are high right now politically. I think […] people are finally fed up.” This student went on to say that “there’s so much to be angry about in the current political climate, and it seems like this semester there are bigoted Christians on campus bothering students every week. I believe in God, but I can’t stand the way these people talk about queer people and people of other religions.”

A large point of debate was the protesters’ views and targeting of individuals perceived as Muslim or part of the LGBTQ+ community, specifically linking homosexuality with pedophilia and rape. One of the protesters repeatedly referred to same-sex love as “degraded desires,” and stated that many students were following a “false God” because they believe that God loves the LGBTQ+ community. This protester also cast judgment upon Muslim students, stating that they too were following a false God and needed to be saved. Since this situation, the Dean of Students office has reached out to approximately 20 students who were directly impacted by the situation, stating that “Augsburg supports our students, and all of our students belong here. Hateful rhetoric does not have a place at Augsburg.” 

A secondary point of contention was the matter of whether or not protesters were on Augsburg’s private property. According to Mike Grewe, dean of students, “22nd Ave S (including the sidewalk and the grass boulevard between the street and sidewalk) is public property.” He went on to state that Augsburg is “not able to prohibit individuals who are demonstrating on public property, including those who are not affiliated with the Augsburg community.”

Christian protesters were since spotted on campus as recently as Oct. 7 as of the writing of this article. The Dean of Students Office has also provided some safety tips in the event that protesters are on campus again. “If possible, keep your distance and keep moving. If you choose to engage, engage at a distance, and do not touch demonstrators or any of their materials on their person.”

When asked about the impact this situation had on them, the same student from earlier stated that they “feel a sense of solidarity with [their] fellow students who were there. It is a comfort to marginalized groups to see that people care and want to stand up against hate speech.”