The events of Thursday’s protests at the University of Mississippi have garnered attention at the campus, state and national levels as videos of protesters and counter-protesters circulate on social media.
Approximately 30 pro-Palestine protesters gathered in the Quad on Thursday, May 2. The protest, organized by a group called UMiss for Palestine, was met by hundreds of onlookers – one of which made monkey motions and noises at a Black protester while others chanted, “Lock her up.”
A video of an interaction between counter-protesters and graduate journalism student Jaylin R. Smith has gotten more than 3 million views on the social platform X.
The video, originally posted by senior journalism major Stacey Spiehler, depicts an unidentified counter-protester jumping up and down and making hooting noises as Smith walks up to them. It also shows Smith and the counter-protesters inching closer together before being separated by the University Police Department officers and Brent Marsh, assistant vice chancellor, dean of students and a member of the First Amendment Support Team.
The Daily Mississippian also captured footage of this incident.
Another video, posted by Collin Rugg, has received more than 4 million views and shows the counter-protesters chanting “Lizzo” and “Lock her up” at Smith.
Chancellor Glenn Boyce made the following statement at 8:12 p.m. today.
“From yesterday’s demonstration, university leaders are aware that some statements made were offensive, hurtful, and unacceptable, including actions that conveyed hostility and racist overtones. While student privacy laws prohibit us from commenting on any specific student, we have opened one student conduct investigation. We are working to determine whether more cases are warranted,” the statement read. “To be clear, people who say horrible things to people because of who they are will not find shelter or comfort on this campus. All of us have a responsibility to take seriously our commitment to upholding a safe and welcoming campus environment.”
Boyce’s full statement can be found at the end of this article.
In addition to these videos, former president Donald Trump and Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves reposted videos thanking the crowd confronting the pro-Palestine protesters.
Trump reposted a video of counter-protesters chanting on his official Instagram page. The caption under Trump’s post reads: “Thank you Ole Miss –– MAGA.” The post has garnered 160,000 likes and has been limited to 3,000 comments.
Reeves came out with a statement regarding the protests before they began. And, similar to Trump, Reeves posted a video on his X page at the conclusion of the protests with the following caption: “The ‘protests’ at Ole Miss today. Watch with sound. Warms my heart. I love Mississippi!”
Many campus organizations released responses that addressed the subjects of free speech and the actions of the protesters and counter-protesters.
UMiss for Palestine posted a statement after the day’s events.
“Our vocal protest outside the library was a peaceful demonstration of our dismay with the behavior of the university,” part of the statement said. “We were confronted by counter-protesters who engaged in blind reactionarism that had little to do with the genocide we were protesting as well as our demands.”
“We condemn the hateful actions and rhetoric of the counter protesters, who threw food and made violent threats toward our protesters,” another part of the statement said. “We expected our First Amendment rights to be better protected and were deeply ashamed that they were not.”
The Black Student Union voiced solidarity with UMiss for Palestine via their Instagram.
“The Black Student Union at the University of Mississippi is in full support of the UMiss for Palestine protesters and all their organization stands for,” the statement read. “We extend our solidarity with the nonviolent demonstrators who were advocating for Palestine and the ongoing genocide. The students were exercising their right under the First Amendment, while the counter-protesters were present with malicious intent as well as a prominent lack of knowledge on the situation at hand.”
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People posted a statement on Instagram condemning the actions of the counter-protesters.
“The University of Misssissippi’s Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (UM NAACP) vehemently condemns the reprehensible actions exhibited by the counter-protestors towards the students who were peacefully demonstrating against the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza,” part of the statement read. “As an organization committed to advocating for justice and equality, UM NAACP firmly stands against any form of intimidation or violence directed towards those exercising their rights to protest and speak out against injustice. UM NAACP reaffirms our unwavering support for our Palestinian brothers and sisters, as well as all those who courageously advocate for the rights of the oppressed.”
Chairman of the Ole Miss College Republicans Cass Rutledge also released a statement, calling the initial protests “pro-terrorist demonstrations” and expressing support for the counter-protesters.
“(Thursday’s) pro-Hamas demonstrations at Ole Miss are a reminder that no college campus — no matter how red or blue — is immune from Joe Biden and the radical left’s inability to categorically and unequivocally confront anti-Semitism and condemn Hamas terrorists,” the statement read. “The Ole Miss College Republicans unapologetically stand with Jewish students on campus, while also recognizing that, thanks to our wonderful First Amendment, leftist pro-Hamas demonstrators have the right to make fools of themselves in front of their peers and for the world to see. Furthermore, it is a breath of fresh air to see so many America-loving patriots fight bad speech with good speech.”
The Associated Student Body executive board put out a statement today stating their commitment to upholding the university’s creed.
“As members of the Ole Miss community, we aspire to uphold the noble principles outlined in the University of Mississippi Creed. Central to our creed is a deep respect for the inherent dignity of every individual and a steadfast commitment to fairness and civility. Yesterday we observed a demonstration on our campus – a place for the expression of diverse viewpoints protected by our constitutional First Amendment rights. Yet amidst this expression, unacceptable remarks were made,” the statement read. “It is our role as facilitators of the university’s culture to protect a welcoming and safe environment for all students, no matter what side they fall on in a protest.”
In addition to the statement made today, Boyce issued a statement on the day of the protests that read as follows.
“I recognize these are challenging times and today’s demonstration was highly emotional. Protests can provoke hurtful language, and some statements were made at today’s event that were offensive and unacceptable. If you need help processing today’s event, please seek assistance from campus resources and support services, including the University Counseling Center and UMatter: Student Support & Advocacy.”
Editor’s Note: Justice Rose, vice president of the UM NAACP, is also the opinion editor for The Daily Mississippian. Cass Rutledge is an opinion contributor to The Daily Mississippian.
Full Message from Chancellor Boyce on May 2 Demonstration shared by email on May 3:
“Dear faculty, staff, and students,
From yesterday’s demonstration, university leaders are aware that some statements made were offensive, hurtful, and unacceptable, including actions that conveyed hostility and racist overtones. While student privacy laws prohibit us from commenting on any specific student, we have opened one student conduct investigation. We are working to determine whether more cases are warranted.
“As a public institution, we are committed to supporting the rights of our students, faculty, and employees to express their views in a respectful manner and to assemble peacefully as guaranteed by the First Amendment. However, some individuals at the demonstration acted in ways that conflict with our university’s values. Behaviors and comments that demean people because of their race or ethnicity marginalize them and undermine the values that are fundamental to a civil and safe society.
“While we are a modern university with a vibrant community of more than 25,000 people, it is important to acknowledge our challenging history, and incidents like this can set us back. It is one reason why we do not take this lightly and cannot let the unacceptable behavior of a few speak for our institution or define us. We are a community of scholars committed to creating an academic experience that respects the dignity of each individual.
“I continue to urge members of our campus community who need help processing yesterday’s events to make use of campus resources and services. Across our campus, faculty, staff and students have acted quickly in an effort to support each other, engage in dialogue, and elevate civility in our community.
“As a community known for caring about each other, we will not tolerate discrimination, intimidation, harassment or bias of anyone in our campus community. To be clear, people who say horrible things to people because of who they are will not find shelter or comfort on this campus. All of us have a responsibility to take seriously our commitment to upholding a safe and welcoming campus environment.
Sincerely,
Glenn F. Boyce
