A video shared on social media showing women making racist gestures outside an off-campus apartment has sparked outrage on the University of Mississippi campus. The incident occurred outside a residence shared by three Black students, prompting the university to issue a statement condemning the behavior.
The video, recorded by a Ring doorbell camera, shows three white women walking past the apartment’s entrance. Two of the women appear to make monkey noises as they pass by. The video, owned by the mother of one of the residents, was widely circulated on Saturday, drawing strong reactions from students and visitors in Oxford.
Tasha Bolton, whose daughter is an African American freshman at Ole Miss, said her daughter shares the apartment with two other Black students. Bolton declined to make a formal statement until speaking with university officials.
The footage elicited concern from members of the campus community. Olivia Landgreve, an Ole Miss sophomore, said she was disturbed by the video.
“I like to think that people don’t see me like that. You know, I’m just a person like everybody else is. Very upsetting to think that maybe people are thinking other things while they’re looking at me while I walk on campus,” Landgreve said, adding that she was surprised and unsettled by the incident.
Jamie Purcell, a visitor from California, reacted strongly after viewing the video. “It’s disgusting, and they’re just not smart, and they’re acting incorrectly to something people should know differently about,” she stated.
The University of Mississippi addressed the incident in a statement released on Sunday, condemning the actions shown in the video. Landgreve noted that the episode was particularly disheartening in light of the progress she believes the university has made in addressing race-related issues.
“It just kind of upset me a little bit because I feel like the campus has grown so much progress and just seeing things set us back like that is very upsetting,” she said.
The Ring camera video continues to circulate on social media, adding to ongoing discussions about campus culture and racial equity at Ole Miss.