Update: Ole Miss students who launched verbal attacks against and Black woman counter-protestor and were removed from the fraternity Phi Delta Theta as a result of the clip going viral and the NAACP releasing a statement about the incident.
University of Mississippi Chancellor Chancellor Glen Boyce, promised to launch a vigorous investigation into the behavior of students during a pro-Palestine demonstration on campus.
During the protest at Ole Miss, a Black woman could be seen suffering vitriolic verbal attacks from White college students who mockingly called her “Lizzo” and “fat a–” and chanted lock her up urging police officers on the scene to arrest the peaceful counter protestor. As she approaches them, the students begin making monkey noises and imitate the moves of a monkey.
Perhaps as shocking and disturbing as the students racist behavior is the reaction of Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves and Georgia state representative Mike Collins both of whom expressed approval for the students’ behavior and applauded their actions.
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves only partially addressed the protest, the portion in which he complimented the students’ behavior. He posted a clip of the students loudly singing the national anthem.
“Warms my heart,” Reeves posted. “I love Mississippi!”
Reeves has not publicly acknowledged the racial overtone of the protest or the abusive treatment of the Black woman in the video.