N.C. State students admit to racist graffiti

Four North Carolina State University students could face disciplinary action in connection with racist graffiti in the university’s Free Expression Tunnel, officials said.

The tunnel is a place where students are encouraged to speak their minds.

While some painted pro-Barack Obama messages in the tunnel Tuesday night following the historic presidential election, racist graffiti, including the phrases “Shoot Obama,” “Black House” and other terms that bordered on threats against the president-elect, were in the tunnel early Wednesday, campus police said.

Campus police said four students have come forward and admitted to spray painting the words. The Secret Service searched their residences and found no real threat against Obama, police said.

The names of the students have not been released.

The wall was painted over Wednesday. Campus police said hate crime charges will not be filed because no crime was committed.

The incident prompted hundreds at the school to gather Thursday for a unity rally at the campus Brickyard.