By MATT LINDSEY

POTSDAM — There is an increased presence of law enforcement in Potsdam today with state police, Border Patrol and St. Lawrence County sheriff’s deputies in the area in response to a planned protest by SUNY Potsdam students.

Police are expecting a demonstration downtown today as student protests have been mounting since a third hate letter was sent to a SUNY Potsdam faculty member.

Just outside of the village, at least nine Border Patrol and state police vehicles were parked in a vacant parking lot at the intersection of U.S. Highway 11 and the Potsdam-Morley Road shortly after noon today.

A state police spokesperson said troopers will act in a support role only today.

Multiple sheriff’s vehicles were seen driving on U.S. Highway 11 toward Potsdam and several Potsdam Police Department vehicles were on campus.

Shortly after 1:30 p.m., at least seven police vehicles were observed parked at the site of the former town barns just south of SUNY Potsdam on NYS Hwy. 56 near the intersection with NYS Hwy. 72.

Two village police cruisers were parked at the intersection of Park and Elm streets as well.

On Nov. 24, SUNY Potsdam officials said a message described as a racist, homophobic death threat had been discovered directed at Prof. John Youngblood and the larger campus community. Youngblood had received similar threats in the spring. A former student, Amjad Hussein, was arrested charged Nov. 12 with felony harassment as a hate crime.

Students have demonstrated on campus, at the registrar’s office and at the office of the dean of students, at a basketball game, and elsewhere on campus. Their message has been that black students don’t feel the school has done enough to protect them in light of the threats in the most recent letter.

For more about police saying their goal is to keep everyone safe during today’s expected demonstration by college students can be read here.

NorthCountryNow.com will update this story as more information becomes available.