A fraternity at the University of Mississippi expelled a member believed to be the student caught on video last Friday taunting a female black pro-Palestine protester, according to a statement released Monday.
“[T]he individual’s behavior was unacceptable. The action in question was offensive, outside the bounds of this discourse, and contradictory to our values,” the statement from Phi Delta Theta read in part. “In partnership with local alumni, undergraduate leadership, and the university, disciplinary due process was initiated which resulted in the removal of membership.”
A student could be seen in the foreground in a viral video taunting the female black protester, identified as Jaylin R. Smith, a journalism and new media graduate student, CNN reported. Smith alleged that students seen in the video were “making monkey noises” at her.
This video from Ole Miss is beautiful, but guys, please put away the phones. Be in the moment when you’re mocking the Hamas loving fat girl. pic.twitter.com/0ESdQ6a99Q
— Richard Hanania (@RichardHanania) May 3, 2024
“One thing that will never break me is people taunting me or making monkey noises at me,” Smith told CNN, according to the report. (RELATED: ‘Past Your Bedtime'”: Jewish Ivy League Professor Arrested At Pro-Palestine Protest, Banned From Campus)
Republican Rep. Mike Collins of Georgia shared the video of the incident Friday, using the caption “Ole Miss taking care of business.” His post invited a barrage of criticism.
Collins issued a statement Monday, saying in part, “I do not, however, tolerate any form of discrimination-racism or otherwise” and “I recognize that there certainly seems to be some potentially inappropriate behavior that none of us should seek to glorify.”
The pro-Palestine protests have rocked no fewer than 30 university campuses across the U.S., starting from its epicenter at Columbia University, New York City. Similar protests have also erupted across Europe, inviting strong police interventions in institutions such as the Free University of Berlin and the University of Amsterdam, according to The Associated Press.
Phi Delta Theta did not name the expelled student in the statement. While other social media users mentioned a name, the Daily Caller did independently verify the name.