An investigation is presently underway at the University of Mississippi on the actions of a student who took part in a counterprotest on May 2. The activities that were considered insulting, harmful, and unacceptable were reported to the school administration. These behaviors were perceived as having racist undertones and a hostile message.
In a letter to the students, Chancellor Glenn F. Boyce stated on May 3 that the administration of the school is currently determining whether further inquiries are required.
In an email dated May 3, which school officials shared with ABC News, Boyce stated, “We, as a public institution, strongly believe in upholding the rights of our students, faculty, and employees to express their viewpoints in a respectful manner and to engage in peaceful assembly, as protected by the First Amendment.” However, some people acted in a way that went against our university’s core values during the event. Any actions or statements that denigrate people because of their race or ethnicity marginalize them and call into question the fundamental values that underpin a safe and orderly society.
Pro-Palestinian protestors gathered on campus, calling for the university to remove itself from investments that would encourage Israeli military action in Gaza. Additionally, amid Israel’s ongoing conflict in Gaza, they encouraged the institution to reject what they saw as genocide against Palestinians. The terrorist attack against Israel by Hamas on October 7th marked the start of the war, to which Israel retaliated by launching military operations in Gaza.
Since October 7, Israeli troops have been implicated in at least 34,183 deaths in Gaza, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza. An additional 77,143 people have been injured. However, according to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at least 1,700 people have been murdered and 8,700 injured in Israel by Hamas or other Palestinian militants.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators at the University of Mississippi, according to a statement, reported being threatened with violence, having food thrown at them by counterprotesters, and other incidents of bigotry. It was shocking to learn that some of the counterprotesters had said, “Here’s your humanitarian aid.”
A Black protester is seen in a video taking pictures and interacting with counterprotesters while positioned outside the barriers that surround the pro-Palestinian activists.
Meanwhile, counterprotesters teased her and law enforcement urged her to go back within the barricades. One student was observed pretending to be a monkey among the counterprotesters, while others screamed “lock her up.” This account was presented by the kid who took the video, Stacey Spiehler.
The counterprotesters were also urged by law officials to leave the barriers.
In an online statement, the general headquarters of Phi Delta Theta fraternity acknowledged their knowledge of the video and said they would take action by suspending the membership of a member who was part of the racist acts shown in the video.
After the conflicts, the demonstrators voiced their displeasure with the answer they had gotten, calling it blind reactionism that ignored their demands and the genocide they were denouncing.
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