A disturbing video has surfaced showing a white student counter-protester at the University of Mississippi racially mocking a Black protester by making monkey noises at her during ongoing Gaza solidarity demonstrations. The confrontation, which took place on Thursday, was captured on camera and posted on social media by Stacey J. Spiehler.
In the video, the counterprotester, dressed in a pale blue T-shirt, can be seen jumping up and down and making monkey noises at a protester who was live-streaming on her phone.
The protester, a student, had stepped outside the protected barricade and was taking video footage when she was surrounded by a group of male students, who began chanting, “Lock her up.” The counter-protesters also threw objects, including a chicken parmesan sandwich and a carrot.
Ole Miss Students Appear to Mock Black Protester (Credits: Yahoo News Singapore)
The video has sparked widespread outrage, with many condemning the racist behavior of the counter-protester. Referring to Black people as monkeys is a known racist trope that dates back hundreds of years and has been used to justify slavery and Jim Crow laws.
Spiehler, who witnessed the incident, described the scene as “easily 10-1 counter-protesters to protesters.” She praised the bravery of the protester, who she said “embodies UM” and has “more intelligence and empathy in her little finger than that whole crowd.”
The University of Mississippi has issued a statement condemning the offensive behavior, saying that “statements were made at the demonstration on our campus Thursday that were offensive and inappropriate.” The university is investigating reports of specific actions and has promised to take appropriate action against any violations of university policy.
However, the incident has taken a disturbing turn, with Republican legislator Rep. Mike Collins from Georgia reposting the video and writing “Ole Miss taking care of business.”
This has been widely condemned, with many calling out Collins for applauding racist behavior. Former Ohio State Senator Nina Turner reposted Collins’ post, writing “This is a video showing anti-Blackness.
Campus protests (Credits: CNN)
This is a sitting Congressman applauding it.” Rob Smith, a U.S. veteran of the Iraq War, also spoke out, saying “An elected official in the House of Representatives should not be tweeting out this video with this caption. This stuff is what makes the Republican Party toxic to the vast majority of Black Americans. This is so not the way.”
The incident is the latest in a series of confrontations between pro-Palestinian protesters and counter-protesters at college campuses across the nation as tensions continue to rise over the Israel-Gaza war.
On Thursday, dozens of students were evacuated from the University of Mississippi campus after a pro-Palestine demonstration escalated into a shouting match between protesters and counter-protesters.
