Ole Miss frat kicks out member who carried out 'racist actions' during counter-protest against pro-Palestinian students

A University of Mississippi fraternity kicked out a member who carried out "racist actions" during a counter-protest against pro-Palestinian students Thursday.

Time referred to a clip of a "student making racist gestures, seemingly imitating a monkey, toward a Black woman."

Phi Delta Theta General Headquarters stated Sunday that the "racist actions in the video were those of an individual and are antithetical to the values of Phi Delta Theta and the Mississippi Alpha chapter. The responsible individual was removed from membership on Friday, May 3."

In addition, the university opened a student conduct investigation over "actions that conveyed hostility and racist overtones," National Public Radio reported.

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One video shows a Black woman and a group of white male counterprotesters yelling at each other. In it, a man imitates the sounds and dance of a monkey toward the woman, while others in the crowd chant "Lock her up!"

In a letter to students and faculty the next day, university Chancellor Glenn Boyce said that "university leaders are aware that some statements made were offensive, hurtful, and unacceptable," and have launched an investigation into the conduct of one student. "We are working to determine whether more cases are warranted," he added.

"Behaviors and comments that demean people because of their race or ethnicity marginalize them and undermine the values that are fundamental to a civil and safe society," Boyce wrote.

The school's student government issued a statement saying “unacceptable remarks were made" during the incident that "departed from our cherished values.”

U.S. Rep. Mike Collins (R-Georgia) shared the now-viral video on X and captioned it, "Ole Miss taking care of business." Numerous commenters accused Collins of racism.

More than 200 students showed up to the counter-protest with U.S. flags and red, white, and blue attire to drown out a much smaller group of pro-Palestinian protesters.

The Clarion Ledger reported that the pro-Palestinian protesters were evacuated from campus.

WMC-TV said in its video report that a pro-Palestinian protester threw a water bottle into the crowd of counter-protesters — and then bottles and food were flying in both directions.

Pro-Palestine protests on Ole Miss campusyoutu.be

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