An Ole Miss student was expelled from his fraternity following allegations of making racist gestures at a campus protest supporting Palestinian rights. The incident, captured on video during a heated exchange at a demonstration, has led to an investigation by the University of Mississippi. The footage showed the student parodying a monkey in a derisive display aimed at a Black female protester, triggering widespread condemnation.
Phi Delta Theta fraternity acted swiftly to sever ties with the individual, stating, "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," as stated by Fox 13 Memphis. The fraternity announcement, accessed through their website, detailed the immediate removal of the member last Friday. The university's response to the altercation echoed the fraternity's disapproval. University Chancellor Glenn Boyce expressed the school's commitment to allowing individuals to freely express their views, while also emphasizing that statements made last week were "offensive and unacceptable."
Demonstrators, numbering around 30, had gathered in a barricaded zone outside the main library last week, touting slogans such as "Free, free Palestine" and "Stop the Genocide," according to WREG. The protest was met with approximately 200 counterprotesters who sported American flags and regalia consistent with symbols of national pride. Campus police and the dean of students were present, maintaining a barrier between the pro-Palestine protesters and the hecklers.
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves appeared to openly support the counterprotesters in a repost of a video on social media that showed them singing "The Star-Spangled Banner," which he captioned, "Warms my heart. I love Mississippi!", as detailed by Democrat and Chronicle.
Details of the incident continue to circulate, with a video shot by student journalist Stacey J. Spiehler playing a key role in documenting the confrontations that prompted the university's and fraternity's responses. As repercussions for the student's actions unfold, discussions around campus conditions conducive to free expression, yet intolerant of hate speech, remain at the forefront of the university's immediate challenges.
