Protestors have caused outrage after turning up to a Texas college campus with despicable signs bearing derogatory messages about women.
The religious demonstrators, self-identified as members of Official Street Preachers, arrived at Texas State University on Wednesday afternoon with an array of signage which immediately sparked uproar among students.
The group, who claim to ‘share the gospel every day’, were also heard shouting provocative religious-themed slogans at students,’ a university spokesperson told Lonestar Live.
‘Women are property,’ one sign read.
Another man held a sign which stated: ‘Types of property: women, slaves, animals, land, etc.’
Other messages seen at the San Marcos campus shared hatred about the LGBTQ+ community.
The group are not affiliated with the college, but were let on campus because it is considered a public space.
A crowd of counter-protestors surrounded the Street Preachers until the Official Street Preachers eventually left campus. Campus police did get involved, but no arrests were made.
Video from Wednesday showed students crowding around and confronting the demonstrators.
One woman shouted: ‘Women are property? Who am I property of?’
Another woman posted a video on TikTok of the events, saying: ‘This is getting out of hand.’
United Campus Ministry Reverend Todd Salmi participated in the counter-protests, holding signs reading ‘Jesus values and respects Texas State women’ and ‘Jesus loves all y’all,’ Texas State University’s student newspaper, The University Star, reported.
Salmi told the student newspaper: ‘These Street Preachers come and they rile, and they feed off of hatred and attention, and then they leave.’
Louie Dean Valencia, a history professor at Texas State University, posted pictures of the protestors on X.
‘Went outside to get lunch just now. Lost my appetite,’ he wrote.
In the comments, he elaborated on his concern: ‘As an expert on fascism… this is where it starts. Extremists at home who feel emboldened. The ones holding these signs were not part of our Texas State community.
‘They might be outsiders, but they aren’t strangers to those of us who study the radical right.’
On social media, some claimed the protest was inspired by the election of Donald Trump as the 2025 president.
Joshua Martin, University of Houston’s Student Body President, posted on X: ‘Not even one full day after the election was called, this was the image at Texas State University today.
‘Times are going to be tough, but the fight has just begun.’
Another user wrote: ‘This was Texas State University yesterday, now that the racists and misogynists feel emboldened again.’
After Wednesday’s events, the university president Kelly Damphousse posted on his Instagram, saying the group ‘sow confusion, anger, distrust, bitterness, fear, and anxiety.’
In an official statement released on behalf of the university, Damphousse wrote: ‘I condemn the hateful words these two men wrote and spoke while they were on our campus. That kind of hate is not welcome here.
‘Friends, I know that this incident was particularly disturbing because it occurred the day after a presidential election that was charged with emotion.
‘Even though the timing may not have been intentional, it may have seemed like these events were related.’
The president also explained why the radical-Christian demonstrators were allowed on campus to begin with, siting the fact that the university is legally required to allow ‘expressive activities.’
In response, associate professor Jelena Tešić wrote on X: ‘Please move the free speech area away from students, classrooms and Labs so my students are spared the telling of the slurs on them while they are walking by to their research lab or classroom.’
Others argued that these activities should not be protected by the university because they threaten students’ safety.
Someone wrote in response to the university’s statement: ‘How are young women on your campus supposed to feel safe?’
‘I don’t think there’s any room for that on this campus,’ student Cade Crockett told CBS Austin. ‘I think it’s very shameful that people assume that it’s okay to promote this behavior, promote this bigotry.’
Beyond the Texas campus community, the offensive signs have caught the attention of people across the country.
New York State Senator Alessandra Biaggi addressed the Official Street Preachers in a social media post.
‘Hey @ospofci, bring that sign to New York. Would love to see how New York women welcome you,’ she said.
This is not an isolated incident, as the Official Street Preachers have documented their protests across various educational institutions in different states over the years.