Students Rally in Support of FLC Student

By CJ Calvert

There was a rally today in support of Fort Lewis College student Randy Banks in front of the clocktower in response to what happened yesterday when a public preacher came to campus.

According to public preacher Keith Darrell, Banks poured coffee on his Bible and then took off running yesterday afternoon, he said.

Banks was detained by the police and could be facing charges of resisting arrest and obstruction, but no charges have been filed at the moment, public affairs officer Mitch Davis said.

Students gathered at 12:45 to speak their minds about hate speech and whether or not Darrell should be allowed on campus.

Darrell arrived on campus at noon on Monday to proselytize. A crowd of students began to gather around him at about 1:15 p.m.

Faculty member Lindsay Nyquist notified the police of a crowd gathering around Darrell at 2:52 pm., she said.

An email was also sent out to FLC students Tuesday morning by Davis on behalf of President Dene Thomas saying that Darrell was not invited to campus, but the college is a public forum for discourse.

Darrell identifies himself on his website as a public Christian preacher who follows the Whitefield Fellowship church.  He travels to a different college campus everyday to engage in open dialogue, he said.

The Indy Online will update this story as facts become more available.