Brazen messages in red and black paint, some calling for the Governor's death, Black Power and revolution were painted on walls at the Bermuda College's Stonington Campus.

A crowd of curious students, teachers and school administrators yesterday gazed at the graffiti that covered the walls near the student centre, South Hall and New Hall.

It is estimated that it will cost the Bermuda College between $300-$500 to rectify.

Among the numerous messages, was a strident call for Governor Lord Waddington's two recent appointments of a Police Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner to be stopped.

The Royal Gazette understands an anonymous petition was circulating among the students last week in an attempt to garner support against the foreign appointments.

There is no evidence that the petition is linked with yesterday's graffiti.

Student reaction to the controversy, however, was mixed.

Some black and white students criticised several spelling errors found among the writing, while others lamented the loss of what was a pleasant, although deeply segregated campus.

"The spelling, that's irrelevant,'' said one 26-year-old business student now in her second semester. "It was obviously done in a hurry, but it's the message that's the point.

"The message is not only political it is racial as well. They want us as black people to become conscious.'' But at least two white students rejected this view.

"I think it's insulting to the black race.'' a 20-year-old said. "There are better ways to go about expressing yourself then defacing public property. It was a nice campus, not bad for the Island. It was a pleasant place to be...tourists used to come here all the time. Now look at it.

"This attracts attention. But it's negative attention.'' Another white student called the action "stupid''.

"This is the mentality that causes the crime...they don't care about anyone, they are the people with the guns.'' However, The Royal Gazette also understands that the outcry over the Police hirings is just a smokescreen for simmering racial divisions that plague the campus.

White and black students eat and socialise in separate areas. Blacks, on the first floor of the student centre where the pool room is located, while whites congregate in the cafeteria and in a South Hall walk way.

Although there is some interracial mingling and dating, those blacks who venture into so-called white areas are labelled as "house niggers''.

Student council acting president Juanita Rozzell, flanked by Bermuda College public relations officer Jan Doidge, told The Royal Gazette the whole incident was "unfortunate''.

Ms Rozzell said: "There can be organised meetings and forums to allow students to say how they feel. But we do not know if Bermuda College students have done this. All we know is that they are using this campus as a target.'' Ms Rozzell, whose organisation encompasses more than 500 full and part-time students, received a stern chiding from some students who claimed that she was never elected for her position and had no right to speak to the media on their behalf.

"We don't even know her,'' one 18-year-old Associate of Arts student charged.

"She's one of the least popular people on this campus.

"She has no idea what the student body thinks because she does not hang around us. She goes with her own crew.

"She's not an effective leader at all.'' The student council are planning to discuss student feelings about the controversy although no date for the meeting has yet been announced.