Davis College Republicans say they would expel anyone involved in extremist activities
Christian Secor, an undergraduate UCLA student, was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) this week for participating in the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Secor, “a self-described fascist,” is one of more than 200 defendants who stand accused of taking part in the violence last month.
Bill Kisliuk, the director of media relations at UCLA, said via email that information about Secor wasn’t publicly available.
“What I can tell you is that UCLA believes the Jan. 6 attack at the Capitol was an attack on our democracy,” Kisliuk wrote. “As an institution, UCLA is committed to mutual respect, making decisions based on evidence and using rational debate and not physical violence.”
He was affiliated with the Bruin Republicans, a political group on campus, over a year ago but was later expelled for his behavior.
“There is not much else to say on the matter,” wrote a Bruin Republican via email. “He was once a member, he was expelled for being radical, reckless, and acting inappropriately over a year ago. We didn’t know about his affiliations, and then when we did, we kicked him out. Our club has no affiliation, association or contact with him and we denounce and disavow his decisions.”
Jenna DiCarlo, a fourth-year international relations major at UC Davis, spoke on behalf of the Davis College Republicans in an email. DiCarlo said that any member who participated in similar extremist activities would immediately be expelled from the group.
“Davis College Republicans (DCR) would absolutely remove someone from our club if they acted in such a despicable manner,” DiCarlo wrote. “Christian Secor is a fringe extremist and we as a club unanimously condemn his participation in the Capitol riot. Someone with the same views would be a poor representation of DCR and the values we stand for. Therefore, we would immediately ban anyone who committed a similar act, just as UCLA did.”
Secor claimed to be a “Groyper,” a member of a loosely affiliated group of white supremacists who follow American First podcaster Nick Fuentes. Fuentes has claimed that the group espouses conservative Christian values. According to the Anti-Defamation League, the Groypers are hostile to “immigration, globalism, gay and transgender rights and feminism.”
Secor is charged with five federal offenses including assaulting, resisting or impeding officers; aiding and abetting civil disorder; obstructing an official proceeding; entering and remaining on restricted grounds; violent entry and disorderly conduct.
Secor also live-streamed a video of himself taking part in the Capitol riots. An FBI affidavit available to the public contains pictures of him sitting in former Vice President Mike Pence’s chair in the Capitol building that day. Secor had previously expressed anti-Semitic and racist views at UCLA, according to the affidavit.
Secor also started a group on campus called America First Bruins. Their Facebook page appears to be deactivated.
Written by: Rebecca Bihn-Wallace — campus@theaggie.org
