Students want white nationalist punished for punching woman in Berkeley

TURLOCK, Calif. -- An online petition calling on California State University, Stanislaus to take a stronger stand against a white nationalist on campus is gaining steam, CBS Sacramento reports. 

The petition was created after student Nathan Damigo, a known supporter of the alt-right, participated in a violent demonstration in Berkeley, California. Damigo was caught on video punching a woman in the face.

The petition calls on the school to “take a stand against hate speech, violence, and white supremacy,” and has more than 160 supporters. 

Damigo found himself in hot water in October when he launched a campaign to recruit members to his white-only group, Identity Europe. He described it as “a message of empowerment to people of European heritage.”

Members of the group behind the petition say they don’t feel safe with Damigo’s presence on campus. They say he has posted flyers and has visited other campuses to give students the alt-right’s alternative view.

A spokeswoman for the school says the university provides a safe and secure learning and working environment and its university police monitors for activities involving any group that may target the community.

“Being of a different ethnicity, it’s kind of scary because you wonder what could he be talking about with people who are not my ethnicity…what could they be planning? Could something -- like with me walking to class -- happen? I have no idea,” said student Shevani Sharma.

At noon on Wednesday, hundreds of students are expected to participate in a protest against hate speech.