The
Indigenous Peoples March in Washington on Friday coincided with the March for
Life, which drew thousands of anti-abortion protesters, including a group from
Covington Catholic High School in Park Hills, Kentucky.
Videos
circulating online show a teenage boy staring at and standing extremely close
to Nathan Phillips, a 64-year-old Native American man singing and playing a
drum. Other students, some wearing Covington clothing and many wearing 'Make
America Great Again' hats and sweatshirts, surrounded them, chanting, laughing
and jeering.
Students
at a Catholic school who were involved in a video showing them mocking Native
Americans after a Washington rally could be expelled.
In
a joint statement, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington and Covington Catholic
High School apologised and said they were investigating and will take
"appropriate action, up to and including expulsion".
"We
extend our deepest apologies to Mr Phillips," the diocese statement read.
"This
behaviour is opposed to the Church's teachings on the dignity and respect of
the human person."
Mr
Phillips is an Omaha elder and Vietnam veteran who holds an annual ceremony
honouring Native American veterans at Arlington National Cemetery.
Marcus
Frejo, a member of the Pawnee and Seminole tribes who is also known as Chief
Quese Imc, said he had been a part of the march and was among a small group of
people remaining after the rally when the boisterous students began chanting
slogans such as "make America great" and then began performing the
Māori's haka dance. Mr Frejo said he felt they were mocking the dance.
The
videos prompted a torrent of outrage online. Actress Alyssa Milano tweeted that
the footage "brought me to tears", while actor Chris Evans tweeted
that the students' actions were "appalling" and "shameful".
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