Kentucky - A Catholic school in Kentucky condemned a
group of its students, many of whom wore "Make America Great
Again" hats, after they were recorded harassing a Native
American Vietnam veteran in a video that went viral on Saturday.
The students from private, all-male Covington Catholic High
School in northern Kentucky were in Washington for an
anti-abortion rally on Friday when they were filmed surrounding
Nathan Phillips and mocking the Native American's singing and
drumming.
One teen in particular is seen standing in front of
Phillips, staring into his face with a smile. Fellow students,
many in clothing bearing President Donald Trump's "MAGA" slogan,
cheered him on and chanted, "build that wall, build that wall,"
Phillips said.
The footage was shared online by organisers of an indigenous
peoples' march that also took place on Friday.
In a joint statement, the high school and Diocese of
Covington condemned the actions of the students "towards Nathan
Phillips specifically, and Native Americans in general."
"The matter is being investigated and we will take
appropriate action, up to and including expulsion," the
statement said.
In a separate video uploaded to social media, the
64-year-old Phillips, an elder of Nebraska's Omaha tribe, wiped
away tears as he described the incident.
"I heard them saying 'build that wall, build that wall'.
These are indigenous lands, we're not supposed to have walls,"
he said. "I wish I could see that energy of that young mass of
young men, put that energy into making this country, really,
really great, helping those that are hungry."
Phillips is a well-known Native American activist who was
among those leading the Standing Rock protests in 2016-2017
against the construction of an oil pipeline in North Dakota.
He holds an annual ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery
to honor Native American veterans, according to media reports.
Phillips could not be reached for comment on Saturday.
Democratic U.S. Congresswoman Deb Haaland, a member of New
Mexico's Laguna Pueblo tribe, said on Twitter that Phillips had
risked his life for his country, and that the students showed
"blatant hate, disrespect, and intolerance".
Covington Mayor Joe Meyer, a Democrat, said the "appalling"
footage had rightly inspired "a tidal wave of condemnation" and
that his town was now being linked with "intolerance and ethnic
intimidation" because of the boys' actions.
"The videos being shared across the nation do NOT represent
the core beliefs and values of this city," he said in a
statement.
Alison Lundergan Grimes, the Democratic secretary of state
for Kentucky, said the children were not solely to blame.
"I turn to the adults and administration that are charged
with teaching them, and to others who are silently letting
others promote this behavior," she said on Facebook.