Racist ETSU Student Tristan Rettke Charged With Civil Rights Intimidation Against BLM Protesters

Rettke was video recorded by BLM protesters at the ETSU campus dressed in overalls, bare footed, had bananas, a burlap sack with the Confederate flag with a marijuana leaf and had a gorilla mask on for the purpose to disrupt a peaceful protest on campus.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

September 29, 2016

Johnson City, Tennessee - On Thursday, Tristan Rettke, 18, a East Tennessee State University (ETSU) student was charged with one count of cvil rights intimidation for his role to disruption a Black Lives Matter (BLM) rally at the campus. Rettke admitted to campus police that he wanted to disrupt the peaceful BLM rally and went to Borchuck Plaza at ETSU dressed in overalls, no shoes, carrying a burlap sack with a Confederate flag and marijuana leaf printed on it, a rope, bananas and wearing a gorilla mask. He attempted to intimidate the participants at the rally, but one of them called ETSU campus police (Department of Public Safety) and complained that Rettke was trying to disrupt the peaceful rally.

Grant Madison video recorded his encounter with Rettke on Wednesday on campus and posted the video on his Facebook account.

Police questioned and detained Rettke. He was booked at the Jonesborough jail and appeared at a Washington County Sessions Court on Thursday where he was charged and has a November 9 hearing scheduled in his case. Rettke has obtained an attorney.

ETSU officials have confirmed that Rettke's student status has been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.