Latina Soccer Players Leave Field as Opposing Fans Chant, "Donald Trump, Build That Wall"

Impact

Donald Trump has managed to suck the joy from many facets of American life, but until recently, the hallowed institution of high school soccer seemed safe.

Not anymore: The girls' team at Beloit Memorial High School in Wisconsin played an away game at Elkhorn Area High School on Thursday only to see its black and Latina players forced off the field, as opposing fans shouted, "Donald Trump, build that wall!" Beloit's coach told WISC-TV.

School district administrators are now investigating this and other racial taunts, which allegedly came from a group of Elkhorn students. 

"[Our players] came off the field and weren't able to finish the game because they were too upset and distraught over what happened to them," Beloit coach Brian Denu told WISC-TV. "I could just see the hurt and pain on their face and know that this was obviously something that they hadn't seen before."

Charles Rex Arbogast/AP

At any other point in history, the invocation of Trump's name may have seemed harmless. But after repeated promises to build a wall along the southern U.S. border to keep out Mexican immigrants — who Trump has characterized, on multiple occasions, as "rapists" — the Republican presidential frontrunner's name has become synonymous with anti-Latino fervor.

"When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best," Trump said when he announced his candidacy in June, according to the Washington Post. "They're not sending you. They're sending people that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems with us. They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people."

Since that day, Trump has only doubled down on his racist rhetoric, launching diatribes against Latinos and especially Muslims, all while garnering the vocal support of white supremacists across the country.

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Elkhorn district administrator Jason Tadlock confirmed to WISC-TV via email that "some students near the sidelines yelled inappropriate/offensive comments toward some of the players, and a student or two from the student section" during Thursday's game. But the investigation is still underway. "Our investigation is ongoing, and I would be happy to comment further once it is completed," he said.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time a high school sporting event has been sullied by Trump's name. In separate incidents in February, high school basketball games in Indiana and Iowa made headlines when fans chanted "Trump" at opposing Latino players, according to CNN.

h/t Raw Story