Gabi Fullam, a final year philosophy and sociology student, is contesting the race for the role of president of Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU).
This afternoon, Fullam shared images on social media of one of her campaign posters, which had been vandalised. It is believed this vandalisation may have been racially motivated.
Fullam’s campaign page posted an image of one of her posters with the eyes scratched out of the image of Fullam’s face. A post on the page read: “One of my campaign posters was maliciously vandalised in what we believe is a racially motivated attack earlier today.”
The post continued: “This is the very culture I’m fighting to change, and this is what happens when you speak up against it.”
“We can do something about it, and I will,” it concluded.
With the campaigning period beginning yesterday, Fullam has emphasised her experience as ethnic minorities officer within the union, as well as founder of TCD Against the 27th Amendment.
Speaking to Trinity News last week, Fullam spoke about the importance of racial justice on campus, saying: “I know what it’s like to be a brown person coming to college,” and stressing that if elected she wants to provide “safe spaces for ethinc minorities to meet up,” as well as form an advisory group for Black students and students of colour.
Council Hustings is taking place this evening at 6pm, followed by TCDSU’s fifth Council of this academic year.
Speaking to Trinity News about the vandalisation, Fullam said: “This is obviously upsetting, but I’m not surprised.”
She added: “This is the culture I have been dealing with in Trinity for the past four years.”
“It’s not stopped me before and it’s not going to stop me now,” Fullam concluded.
Speaking to Trinity News, Chair of the Electoral Commission (EC) Adam Balchin, said: “The EC holds the stance that any bullying, intimidation or disrespect in the TCDSU elections will be taken seriously.”
“The EC and I have reiterated this stance to candidates and managers and will do so again at hustings this evening,” he continued.
He continued to say that “we have also made contact with TCD campus security to investigate further and will revert to the junior dean where required”.
Campaigning for Sabbatical Officers will continue until the 1st of March, at which point voting will commence until the 3rd of March. Students have until noon on the 1st of March to register to vote.
