In a disturbing incident at the University of Mississippi, a pro-Palestine protest was marred by racial slurs and monkey noises directed at a black female protester. The incident, which was caught on video, has sparked outrage and condemnation, and has also drawn attention to the role of a Republican legislator who reposted the video with a seemingly approving comment.
The video, filmed by Stacey J. Spiehler, shows a white male counter-protester in a pale blue t-shirt making monkey noises at a black female protester who was live-streaming the event on her phone. This act, a known racist trope dating back hundreds of years, was used to justify slavery and Jim Crow law.
The female protester, who was part of the pro-Palestine demonstration, was met with a barrage of abuse from predominantly white, male counter-protesters. As she approached the group of male students, chants of “lock her up” could be heard. The confrontation was part of a larger demonstration at the university, which has seen ongoing pro-Palestinian protests in the wake of the Israel-Gaza war.
In a statement to The Independent, a spokesperson for the University of Mississippi said, “Statements were made at the demonstration on our campus Thursday that were offensive and inappropriate. We cannot comment specifically about that video, but the university is looking into reports about specific actions. Any actions that violate university policy will be met with appropriate action.”
Adding fuel to the fire, Republican Rep. Mike Collins from Georgia reposted the video with the caption, “Ole Miss taking care of business.” This action drew sharp criticism from other politicians and public figures. Former Ohio State Senator Nina Turner reposted Collins’ post, stating, “This is a video showing anti-Blackness. This is a sitting Congressman applauding it.”
Rob Smith, a U.S. veteran of the Iraq War, also weighed in, stating, “An elected official in the House of Representatives should absolutely not be tweeting out this video with this caption. This stuff is what makes the Republican Party absolutely toxic to the vast majority of Black Americans. This is so not the way.”
More for you:
- Republican Rep. Cheers Students’ Racist Response to Gaza Protester
- ‘Ole Miss’ student seen on video making monkey noises towards Black woman during pro-Palestine protests
- University of Mississippi students taunt black female protester with racist monkey noises and 'Lizzo' chants in shameful clash at Ole Miss demo
