The Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion sent an email Thursday afternoon addressing a TikTok personality that visited the St. Paul neighborhood earlier that day.

According to the email, the speaker talked to a group that included St. Thomas students for approximately an hour on public property outside of campus “in offensive and crude terms.”

“While this has been a difficult and challenging week for many members of our community, please know that St. Thomas condemns acts that stand against our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion,” DEI said in the email.

St. Thomas officials could not require the speaker to leave since she was on private property, but staff members handed out flyers to students who were passing through the area encouraging them not to go.

Public Safety officers were “monitoring her presence” to ensure that the speaker didn’t go on campus.

“The university intentionally did not communicate about this event while it was happening because we have no desire to advance this person’s agenda, which does not affirm the dignity of all,” DEI said in the email.

The email listed resources for students on campus including the Dean of Students, Employee Assistance Program, Counseling and Psychological Services, Student Diversity and Inclusion Services and the Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Angeline Terry can be reached at terr2351@stthomas.edu.