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Ariz. frat suspended over racist ‘MLK Black Party’

Posted at 1:34 PM, Jan 22, 2014
and last updated 2014-01-22 13:34:47-05

TEMPE, AZ (KPHO) -- An Arizona State University fraternity is in hot water after hosting a racist party the night before the nation celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

School officials have suspended Tau Kappa Epsilon's chapter operations while they investigate exactly what happened at the so-called "MLK Black Party" party Sunday night.

Some of the more shocking incidents included frat members and guests donning basketball jerseys, flashing gang signs at the camera and drinking from watermelon cups.

The college students then posted photos of their antics on social media using hashtags like #hood, #myboymartin, #killem #blackoutformlk and #ihaveadream.

Many university students called the party inappropriate and said they were offended some of their classmates attended the party.

“I think this represents the ignorance that still exists today,” Kaajal Koranteng, an ASU senior, said.

A concerned student tipped off local media outlets about the party. Those reports prompted TKE's national chapter to send a team from Indianapolis to investigate.

Patrick Gleason, the director of compliance and housing for the fraternity, will be meeting with school officials as well as fraternity members.

This is not the first time the Gleason has had to deal with problems at the fraternity. In fact, the group was reinstated this December after ASU suspended the chapter for fights and other violations.

“We are working to remedy this issue and hold those parties who are responsible, responsible for their actions,” Gleason said.