On Sept. 19, the Daily Wildcat published an opinions piece written by Olivia Krupp about TikTok user Lukas Pakter, a University of Arizona student who recently gained popularity on the platform. As Pakter describes himself as controversial, it was no surprise that the article received a range of both positive and negative reactions.

These reactions quickly left the comment section after Pakter doxed Krupp by publicly posting her phone number and Instagram page in a TikTok. This post made Krupp a target, and she received over 400 phone calls, text messages and direct messages that include intimidation, harassment and threats to her well-being.

One text said she should get lined up and shot with the rest of the journalists.

One Instagram user wrote, “Y’all let this piece of meat have an opinion. Her mouth should be tied shut the rest of her life.”

Another Instagram user said they hoped that she would get raped.

On Sept. 21, the Wildcat sent an email to the Dean of Students office concerning these alarming messages. The Wildcat asked for two things: for the students involved to receive appropriate disciplinary action, and for the Dean of Students office to release a joint statement with the Wildcat  “condemning intimidation, harassment, and threats on social media.”

Over a month later, none of these requests were met.

The Wildcat waited, and waited, and waited to hear back from the Dean of Students office. We never received any reply to our initial email: no updates on what, if anything, was being done to address this issue and no response to our request for a joint statement.

The lack of communication on this issue is unacceptable.

Krupp was the subject of targeted harassment, and harassment often precedes violence. We hoped that the university would take threats seriously. The events of the past month have made it clear that this is not the case.

The Daily Wildcat unequivocally stands behind Olivia Krupp and the opinions desk. As a university community, we must have zero tolerance for any form of harassment, no matter who it is directed to, who it comes from or the size of their platform.

— Kristijan Barnjak, Editor-in-Chief

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