Florida Frat Suspended Over Harassment of Vets

Zeta Beta Tau members allegedly spit on them at resort
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 24, 2015 6:43 PM CDT
Florida Frat Suspended Over Harassment of Vets
University of Florida Auditorium and Century tower.   (Shutterstock)

Another nasty frat story is making headlines, this time from the University of Florida. The school has suspended Zeta Beta Tau over allegations that drunken members were abusive to military veterans, even spitting on them, reports the Gainesville Sun. It took place last weekend at a resort in Panama City Beach. The students were there for their spring formal and the vets for an annual event called the Warrior Beach Retreat. "They actually spit on me and my service dog as well, and that's just so disrespectful and it hurts," vet Nicholas Connole tells WJHG. Apparently, much of the trouble stemmed from students on balconies, though it's not clear how much of the behavior was specifically directed toward the vets and how much was general drunkenness.

"They were urinating off of balconies, vomiting off of balconies," retreat coordinator Linda Cope tells AP. "They could see the men and women below were there with the retreat." She also says students urinated on American flags, but reports are vague about that. The Sun adds that students were tearing flags off vets' cars in the parking lot and throwing beer bottles from balconies. “I am personally offended and disappointed by the behavior that has been described to me,” says UF vice president of student affairs David Kratzer, a retired Army general. “This is not representative of our students or of the university.” Three members have been expelled from the frat so far as the school investigates. University police officers have been stationed at the frat house because of the number of threats being received. (More Zeta Beta Tau stories.)

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