The University of Mississippi campus in Oxford, Mississippi, on 22 October 2012. Photograph: imac/AlamyView image in fullscreenThe University of Mississippi campus in Oxford, Mississippi, on 22 October 2012. Photograph: imac/AlamyTwo white students at University of Mississippi make monkey gestures in Ring videoWomen are reportedly upstairs neighbors of three Black students, including one who uploaded video to TikTok
Two white students at the University of Mississippi were captured making offensive monkey gestures in a widely panned Ring video that has prompted a school investigation.
On Saturday, freshman Jakiyra Metcalf uploaded the surveillance clip from her apartment door to TikTok, showing one woman thumping her chest and babbling like a monkey. Another woman jumped into the camera’s view and mimicked the monkey noises.
The video, which has nearly 13m views, drew outrage over the racist connotation.
“This is absolutely disgusting and unacceptable. College is supposed to be a place where young adults can learn, grow, and feel safe,” Metcalf’s mother, Tasha Bolton, wrote Saturday on Facebook. According to Bolton, her daughter lives with two Black roommates and the women seen in the video are her upstairs neighbors.
The family is not yet speaking publicly about the ordeal, said Bolton’s husband, Brooks Bolton.
Alaina Kunes, 18, who was in the video, issued an apology in a statement released by a Chicago law firm, while insisting her behavior was not related to race.
“I would have never intentionally made those noises or gestures toward a person of color,” Kunes said. “I have apologized to the women, and I pray they will forgive me.”
Kunes continued: “Over the past several days, my family and I have received death threats and harassment. I am grateful for the authorities working to ensure our safety. As I intend to cooperate fully with the University’s investigation, I ask for privacy for my family. I understand the seriousness of this situation and remain committed to taking responsibility and learning from this embarrassing ordeal.”
Shawnboda Mead, vice-chancellor for student affairs at the university, condemned the video in a Sunday statement.
“Every student deserves to feel safe, respected, and valued at the University of Mississippi. Racism and actions that disparage people because of an aspect of their identity have no place in our campus community,” she said.
Mead also advised the campus to refrain from sharing unverified information about who was involved in the incident.
The school has reached out to the affected students to offer support and hear their concerns, she said.
A university spokesperson did not reply to a Tuesday inquiry about the women’s enrollment status and whether any disciplinary action had been taken.
The school has seen troubling incidents of racism in the past. In 2014, fraternity members at the University of Mississippi hung a noose around a statue that commemorated the school’s first Black student.
A decade later, at a pro-Palestine demonstration, some white male counter-protesters directed monkey noises at a Black female protester.
