One of the two white students caught on a Ring camera making monkey-like sounds and gestures outside the door of three Black University of Mississippi students has apologized to them.
asserted
One → catch → them
According to the students, the other woman escalated the behavior only after the camera stopped recording.
uncertain
camera → accord → behavior
The video has now been seen millions of times, and the three students have described the parts of the encounter that were never filmed.
asserted
that → see → encounter
“She continued to make the gestures after the girl was apologizing.
asserted
girl → continue → gestures
It was like a slap in the face,” Victoria Johnson told “CBS Mornings” in an interview that aired Wednesday.
asserted
that → tell → interview
Johnson spoke alongside her roommates, Jakiyra Metcalf and Kaiyden Caldwell.
asserted
Johnson → speak → roommates
The three women discussed the incident, which has provoked anger on the Ole Miss campus and across social media.
asserted
which → discuss → media
The gestures and sounds are viewed as racist because they echo old, ugly stereotypes comparing Black people to simians.
asserted
they → view → simians
The fact that it took place at a college in the Deep South with a long history of racism has added to the raw emotions.
asserted
it → take → emotions
Metcalf first saw the footage on Friday.
asserted
Metcalf → see → Friday
She and Johnson then went outside to speak to the two women, who had a third friend with them.
asserted
who → go → them
That friend was only visible in the video glancing at the door.
asserted
friend → glance → door
The students said one of the women, Alaina Kunes, apologized but said the group had been making animal-like noises and gestures in front of other doors in the apartment complex.
asserted
group → say → complex
The second woman, who lives in the complex, purportedly kept the antics going off camera.
asserted
who → live → camera
Metcalf's TikTok post has been viewed more than 13 million times in four days.
asserted
post → view → days
On Monday, the university posted a statement condemning the actions in the video as “offensive, hurtful, and unacceptable behaviors that conflict with our university values.”
asserted
that → post → values
School officials also said they are investigating the incident and are dedicated to “maintaining a safe and welcoming environment.”
asserted
they → say → environment
Kunes, 18, issued a public apology on Tuesday through a law firm.
asserted
Kunes → issue → firm
“Before the incident on Nov. 6, I never met the women involved and was unaware of their race, however I recognize my actions were insensitive, inappropriate and deeply harmful,” Kunes said.
asserted
Kunes → meet → race
“I would have never intentionally made those noises or gestures toward a person of color.
asserted
I → make → color
I have apologized to the women and I pray they will forgive me.
asserted
they → apologize → me
She has since withdrawn from school.
asserted
She → withdraw → school
She also said she would fully cooperate with any investigation.
asserted
she → say → investigation
The firm originally posted the statement on its website.
asserted
firm → post → website
It had to be taken down because of ongoing harassment, Kate Gardiner, a spokesperson for the firm, said.
asserted
Gardiner → have → firm
Kunes will not be speaking beyond the statement, Gardiner added.
asserted
Gardiner → speak → statement
The fury directed at Kunes and the second woman, who has not publicly identified herself, has also prompted pushback against using social media to malign them.
asserted
who → direct → them
Tom Hennessey, an influencer tied to online fundraisers for people criticized for making xenophobic remarks, is credited with starting a fundraiser for the other woman on the Christian fundraising platform GiveSendGo.
asserted
Hennessey → tie → platform
It had raised more than $30,000 as of Wednesday afternoon.
asserted
It → raise → afternoon
The fundraising page states the “online mob (is) treating a juvenile stunt as a hate crime because the residents were Black.”
asserted
residents → state → crime
The fundraiser also says it could possibly be canceled if the woman “disavows our support and bends the knee” and apologizes.
uncertain
woman → say → knee
Contacted by DM on X, or Twitter, Hennessey said there is a double standard and that less attention is given to Black-on-white crime.
asserted
attention → contact → crime
He declined to say whether he had been in touch with the student about the fundraiser.
asserted
he → decline → fundraiser
The university has been the backdrop for a Black student facing taunting, animal-like mimicking before.
asserted
university → face → mimicking
During a May 2024 campus demonstration over the Israel-Hamas war, a counterprotester made monkey sounds and gestures at a Black female student.
uncertain
counterprotester → make → student
A student journalist filmed the interaction.
asserted
journalist → film → interaction
The video drew the attention of outgoing Georgia Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, who appeared to praise the behavior in a tweet.
asserted
who → draw → tweet
Ole Miss also has a long history with racism, civil rights and segregation.
asserted
Miss → have → racism
In 1962, activist James Meredith became the first Black person admitted to the school after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in his favor.
asserted
Court → become → favor
Then-Gov. Ross Barnett tried to block his admission but could not disobey federal law, according to the National Museum of African American History & Culture.
uncertain
Barnett → try → History
…and 5 more, not listed.
The Aporia
