Incidents fuelling from racial tensions at University of Mississippi are nothing new. It has a long history of intolerance towards black students. But, the episode following the election result was something new, even for Ole Miss.
A small group of gathering which started as a protest against Obama re-election soon turned ugly with more people joining and burning Obama-Biden election posters. They even started chanting racially motivated slurs. By the end of the night police intervened and two of the students were arrested for disorderly conduct.
According to the statement issued by Ole Miss, the officers found 30-40 students gathered in front of the union, and over the next 20 minutes the gathering had grown to more than 400 students, many of whom were chanting political slogans. The crowd was ordered to disperse by university police, and after about 25 minutes students had returned to residence halls.
About 100 students gathered again at one hall, and university police dispersed the group and made two arrests for disorderly conduct, including one for public intoxication and one for failure to comply with police orders.
"The gathering seems to have been fueled by social media, and the conversation should have stayed there," said Chancellor Dan Jones.
He also added that while he is relieved no one was injured and no property was damaged, he was very 'disappointed in those students who took a very immature and uncivil approach to expressing their views about the election.'
Many in social media are still debating over the use of the word 'riot' was appropriate.
"Literally we are bickering over the word 'Riot'. The fact is - a large group of ill informed, drunk students started a disturbance or riot, or protest. Regardless, burning Obama Biden signs and yelling racial slurs is simply tasteless," Jared Scott, an Ole Miss student commented on school's Facebook page.
Majority of the students condemned the racially motivated protest and a candle vigil will be held at the campus Thursday 6 p.m.
Just a month ago, Ole Miss celebrated desegregation by commemorating 50th anniversary of the admission of James Meredith, university's first black student. Wednesday's incident was oddly reminiscent of the bloody riots that ensued in 1962. Since then, the institution has gone all the way to shed its racist image.
"I do not agree with nor did I vote for him [Obama], but I do have respect for the man! Within 20 minutes you successfully set the state back 50 years," reacted a student named Meredith Burnely Davis on Facebook.
Experts believe that the incident may have adverse effects on university's renowned football program with black students fearing for their safety choosing some other program over Ole Miss.
