'Display of blatant hate, disrespect, and intolerance': Shocking moment Kentucky students wearing MAGA hats 'mock' Native American Vietnam vet singing and playing a drum at Washington rally
- The footage shows a boy staring at and standing close to the elderly man
- Others surround man, identified as Vietnam veteran, laughing and shouting
- Congresswoman Deb Haaland tweeted that the footage was 'heartbreaking'
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington said it was 'investigating'
- The Indigenous Peoples March in Washington on Friday coincided with the March for Life, which drew thousands of anti-abortion protesters
- Elderly man, named as Nathan Phillips, 'heard them saying build that wall'
This is the shocking moment Kentucky students wearing Make America Great Again hats appear to mock a Native American man at a rally in Washington.
The footage shows one youth staring at and standing extremely close to the elderly man, identified as Vietnam veteran, singing and playing a drum.
Congresswoman Deb Haaland tweeted: 'This Veteran put his life on the line for our country. The students' display of blatant hate, disrespect, and intolerance is a signal of how common decency has decayed under this administration. Heartbreaking.'
Now a diocese in Kentucky is looking into the video that show students, possibly from the diocese's all-male high school.
Laura Keener of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington said Saturday it regrets the incident and is investigating but didn't comment further.
Kentucky students wearing MAGA hats have appeared to mock a Native American man
The elderly man has been indentified as Nathan Phillips, an Omaha elder and Vietnam veteran, who holds an annual ceremony honoring Native American veterans
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.
Videos circulating online show a youth staring at and standing extremely close to an elderly Native American who is singing and playing a drum. Other youths, some wearing clothing with Covington logos, surround them, laughing and shouting. Many of the youths are also wearing 'Make America Great Again' hats.
The Indian Country Today website identified the elderly man as Nathan Phillips, an Omaha elder and Vietnam veteran who holds an annual ceremony honoring Native American veterans at Arlington National Cemetery.
He said: 'I heard them saying 'build that wall'.'
State Rep. Ruth Buffalo, a North Dakota state lawmaker and member of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, said she was saddened to see students showing disrespect to an elder at what was supposed to be a celebration of all cultures.
'The behavior shown in that video is just a snapshot of what indigenous people have faced and are continuing to face,' Buffalo said.
She said she hoped it would lead to some kind of meeting with the students to provide education on issues facing Native Americans.
The Indigenous Peoples March in Washington on Friday coincided with the March for Life, which drew thousands of anti-abortion protesters
A number of the students in the footage were wearing Make America Great Again hats
Some of the students were also wearing clothing with Covington logos
Nathan Phillips, the man in the video, said he heard people chanting 'build that wall'
Congresswoman Deb Haaland tweeted that the footage was 'heartbreaking'
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