OBERLIN, Ohio, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Two students who attend Oberlin University in Ohio will not face charges for posting a number of racist, homophobic and anti-religious posters on campus.
The students, whose names have not been released, were removed from campus earlier this year because of the posters, The Chronicle-Telegram, Elyria, Ohio, reported.
One of the students told investigators that he was trying to get a rise out of the college community after another person posted hate material on campus.
"I'm doing it as a joke to see the college overreact to it as they have with the other racial postings that have been posted on campus," one student told campus security after he and the other student were caught putting up anti-Islamic posters Feb. 27.
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Oberlin issued a statement that said the students posted the material between February and March on a "virtually daily basis."
The material included "racist, homophobic, and anti-Semitic graffiti, flyers, and Internet postings, as well as written harassment of targeted individuals including threats of bodily harm and rape."
"We take all such threats seriously and recognize that our obligation is to assure the safety of all members of our community," the college said. "Many students, faculty and staff raised reasonable concerns about their security on our campus, based on these incidents and threats. Oberlin College will not tolerate an atmosphere in which people feel threatened on the basis of their race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation, under any circumstances."
However, Lorain County Prosecutor Dennis Will decided that the two students didn't rise to the level of a criminal violation and that they will not be charged, The Chronicle-Telegram said.
College spokesman Scott Wargo said that students are no longer on campus and their cases are still pending in the college's judicial system.
