UW-Madison student abandons ‘alt-right’ group, will take leave of absence

A student who attempted to form a Madison chapter of the American Freedom Party in January has abandoned his plans to bring the “alt-right” organization to campus, according to the Associated Press.

Daniel Dropik, a computer science student, originally sparked outrage when he handed out flyers advertising the group and urging students to “fight anti-white racism.”

Dropik, 33, will also take a break from his studies, according to William Johnson, the national chairman of the American Freedom Party. UW spokesperson Meredith McGlone told The Daily Cardinal that Dropik is still enrolled at the school as of Feb. 6.

Johnson told the Associated Press that he urged Dropik to continue advertising the organization, but that Dropik feared for his safety. Dropik said in January he had received a number of pieces of hate mail.

Dropik became an even more polarizing figure on campus after Chancellor Rebecca Blank confirmed he had committed two racially motivated crimes in 2005. Afterward, hundreds of students participated in a march against Dropik and the American Freedom Party.

Kat Kerwin, one of the organizers of the protest, said her organization, the Student Coalition for Progress, views Dropik’s abandonment of the group as a “triumph of deliberate democracy.”

“[SCP] is cautiously optimistic about Dropik’s decision,” Kerwin said in a statement. “We recognize how much work remains to be done … we will continue to organize resistance.”

Daniel Dropik did not immediately respond to request for comment.