Two white University of Mississippi students were captured making offensive monkey gestures in a widely shared Ring video that sparked a school investigation.
On Saturday, freshman Jakiyra Metcalf uploaded the surveillance clip from her apartment door to TikTok, showing a woman banging her chest and babbling like a monkey. Another woman jumped into the camera’s field of view and imitated the primate sounds.
The video, which has nearly 13 million views, sparked outrage due to its racist connotations.
“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 on Facebook on Saturday. According to Bolton, his 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 featured in the video, apologized in a statement released by a Chicago law firm, while insisting her behavior was not race-related.
“I would never have intentionally made those noises or gestures toward a person of color,” Kunes said. “I have apologized to the women and pray they forgive me.”
Kunes continued, “Over the past several days, my family and I have received death threats and harassment. I am grateful to the authorities who are working to keep us safe. As I intend to fully cooperate with the university’s investigation, I ask for respect for my family’s privacy. 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 statement released Sunday.
“Every student deserves to feel safe, respected and valued at the University of Mississippi. Racism and actions that denigrate people because of some aspect of their identity have no place in our university community,” she said.
Mead also advised the campus to refrain from sharing unverified information about those involved in the incident.
The school contacted affected students to offer support and hear their concerns, she said.
A university spokesperson did not respond to a Tuesday inquiry about the women’s enrollment status and whether any disciplinary action had been taken.
The school has seen disturbing incidents of racism in the past. In 2014, fraternity members at the University of Mississippi hung a noose around a statue commemorating the school’s first black student.
A decade later, during a pro-Palestinian demonstration, white counter-protesters directed monkey noises at a black female protester.
Gn usa
