UMiss for PalestineFrat boys calling a Black woman a monkey… Who would’ve imagined that sight at a Palestine protest? It was supposed to be a peaceful gathering (aren’t they all?) at the University of Mississippi or Ole Miss, Students gathered to voice their concerns against Israel’s actions in Gaza and urge transparency regarding the university’s ties to the conflict. Instead, acts of #fatshaming, #degredation, #racism and #AmericanFlags clashed with the movement for peace.
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What began as a demonstration for justice quickly descended into a horrifying display of hate and deep-rooted issues of race that still plague our nation. Many say those systemic issues remain alive and well at Ole Miss, especially based on how its students behave. No arrests made, and the air is filled with “Lock her up,” and “F*ck Joe Biden” chants. It’s a sickening display like the ones that haunted that land for generations.
The Independent shares that the Black woman seen in the videos bravely held her own against the verbal abuse. Black women continue to be a face for change in real life.
The University of Mississippi, known for its long history of racial injustice, is predominantly white. African-American students only make up 10% of its population, according to the latest enrollment statistics.
Among the chaos, one moment stood out: a white man making monkey noises at a Black woman. In the now-viral videos, you can see horrid views of disgusting young white men waving money around in the woman’s face. Unsurprisingly, the whole time they’re sporting their #Trump paraphernalia with smiles on their faces.
Mississippi Leaders Show Approval Of Racist Counter-Protestors At UMiss for Palestine Demonstration
To make matters worse, local politicians condoned and encouraged this behavior.
The counter-protesters came prepared to intimidate. Waving American and Trump flags, they sang the national anthem to drown out the voices of those pleading for Palestine, recalling the resistant echoes of the civil rights struggle in the US South six decades ago.
“The behavior witnessed today was not only abhorrent but also entirely unacceptable,” stated the University of Mississippi’s chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. “It is deeply disheartening to witness such blatant disregard for the principles of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression,” the organization wrote in a statement posted to Instagram.
According to The Guardian, Governor Tate Reeves’s response to the protest did nothing but add fuel to the fire. His praise for the counter-protesters drew sharp criticism. Many compared Gov. Reeves to Ross Barnett, the segregationist former governor of Mississippi.
On the global stage, protests like those at the University of Mississippi are part of a larger outcry against the treatment of Palestinians, seen in numerous cities worldwide as a plea for humanitarian relief and a cessation of violence in conflict zones like Gaza.
The demonstration lasted less than an hour before police and campus security disbanded for safety reasons, such as flying water bottles. Protests aim to highlight injustices and seek change. Yet, as seen at Ole Miss, they can sometimes expose injustices from within the campus walls.
UMiss For Palestine Issues A Statement In Response To Ole Miss Counter Protestors
UMiss for Palestine, the student group behind the protest, voiced their frustrations.
“We were confronted by counter-protesters who engaged in blind reactionism that had little to do with the genocide we were protesting as well as our demands.” Their call for peace was met with aggression, undermining the very essence of their protest.
It’s no surprise that racist gestures, which one could naively hope were relics of the past, could fester in the same country with leaders like this. When students of color cannot protest without facing racial vilification, it paints a clear picture of the current surrounding culture. Kids are the future.
We must ask ourselves; how can we move forward when the echoes of our darkest hours are still so loud? How can we stand for international justice when we cannot even secure peace and respect within our own borders?
The events at the University of Mississippi are a grim reminder that the fight for justice is far from over, both at home and abroad.
