Ole Miss Students’ Monkey Gestures Spark National Controversy as Critics Question Media Coverage of

A viral video involving University of Mississippi students has prompted an investigation and public apology, while social media commentators accuse national news organizations of giving disproportionate attention to racial controversies compared with certain violent crimes.

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

OXFORD, Miss. — A University of Mississippi student has apologized after surveillance footage showed her and another young woman making monkey noises and gestures outside an apartment occupied by three Black students, an incident that has generated widespread condemnation and renewed debate over how national news organizations prioritize stories involving race.

The incident occurred Nov. 6 at an off-campus apartment complex used for student housing, where a Ring doorbell camera recorded three white women walking past the residence. Two stopped and appeared to imitate monkeys, beating their chests and making animal-like noises toward the camera, while the third continued walking without participating in the gestures. The footage was subsequently shared on social media, attracting millions of views and prompting university officials to launch an investigation.

According to ABC News’ Nov. 10 report, one of the women, identified as 18-year-old freshman Alaina Kunes, issued an apology Tuesday through her attorney, acknowledging that her behavior was offensive while maintaining that she had not intended to target anyone based on race.

“To the women I offended and to the Ole Miss community, I sincerely apologize,” Kunes said. “Before the incident on November 6, I never met the women involved and was unaware of their race, however, I recognize my actions were insensitive, inappropriate, and deeply harmful.”

Kunes said she had personally apologized to the apartment’s residents and expressed regret over the controversy. “I would have never intentionally made those noises or gestures toward a person of color,” she said. “I have apologized to the women and I pray they will forgive me. I can never truly understand the pain I have caused them and it was never my intention. These girls deserve to feel seen and understood and what I did is not a reflection of who I am trying to become.”

The university subsequently confirmed that Kunes was no longer enrolled, although officials did not explain whether she withdrew voluntarily or was removed through disciplinary proceedings. According to Action News 5, Kunes also reported that she and her family had received death threats and harassment following the video’s circulation. She said she intended to cooperate with the university’s investigation while requesting privacy for her family.

The Black Student Union condemned the incident and called for a full investigation, appropriate disciplinary measures and additional support for the students whose apartment appeared in the footage. University officials characterized the behavior as deeply troubling and unacceptable, emphasizing that students should feel safe and respected regardless of their backgrounds. The institution said its Office of Conflict Resolution and Student Conduct and Office of Equal Opportunity and Regulatory Compliance were examining the matter.

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Shawnboda Mead said university personnel had contacted the affected students and offered resources while the investigation continued. The school also noted that federal student privacy requirements restrict what officials can disclose about individual disciplinary proceedings. The identity of the second woman who participated in the gestures had not been publicly confirmed as of Tuesday.

The controversy quickly moved beyond the Oxford campus as national news organizations reported the incident and commentators debated its significance. The footage’s widespread circulation, combined with the university’s response and Kunes’ apology, drew additional attention to the use of monkey imagery as a racial insult against Black Americans.

Some social media users criticized the coverage, arguing that national outlets devote considerable attention to incidents involving racially offensive behavior while giving comparatively little attention to certain violent crimes involving victims and suspects of different races.

Among those raising the issue was X user @jackunheard, who criticized ABC News for reporting on the university controversy while allegedly overlooking the killing of a 15-year-old boy in Georgia.

“ABC News will cover college girls making monkey noises, but won’t cover the 4 black thugs who brutally murdered a 15-year-old boy in Georgia last week,” the user wrote in response to the network’s reporting.

The referenced homicide occurred in Albany, Georgia, where police discovered 15-year-old Austin Payne dead inside an abandoned home on Cameo Lane following an incident reported Nov. 1. Investigators subsequently arrested four suspects, including three teenagers and a 22-year-old man, and charged them with murder.

According to a Nov. 5 report by CBS News Atlanta, authorities identified the suspects as 15-year-olds Jansquincey Donaldson and Omari Marion, 16-year-old Adarious Wallace and 22-year-old Detravion Parker. All four were booked into the Dougherty County Jail. Police have not publicly established a motive for the killing, and the charges remain allegations unless proven in court.

The Georgia homicide received local and regional coverage, including reporting by CBS News Atlanta. The available reporting does not establish that national outlets deliberately suppressed the case because of the victim’s or suspects’ race. Nevertheless, the contrasting attention given to the two incidents became a subject of online discussion about editorial priorities and the role of racial identity in determining which stories receive national prominence.

Critics of the Ole Miss coverage argued that a nonviolent incident involving offensive gestures should not overshadow serious violent crimes. Others maintained that the university controversy warranted attention because the behavior occurred in student housing, involved an established racial stereotype and raised questions about the institution’s responsibilities toward its students.

The incidents also differ substantially in their circumstances and legal implications. The Ole Miss matter involves alleged discriminatory conduct and a university investigation, while the Georgia case concerns a homicide investigation and criminal charges against four suspects. Neither incident provides evidence about the conduct or beliefs of broader racial groups.

Kunes’ apology has added another dimension to the discussion, particularly her assertion that she did not know the race of the apartment’s occupants when the video was recorded. The students who lived in the apartment have described the gestures as racially offensive, while Kunes acknowledged their harmful impact without conceding that she intended to direct them at Black residents.

The university has not announced a final disciplinary determination, and the second participant has not publicly issued an apology. Officials have said the investigation remains active while the affected students receive support.

The episode has also renewed scrutiny of how social media can rapidly elevate local controversies into national disputes. Within days, the surveillance footage had accumulated millions of views, drawn responses from major news organizations and prompted threats against a student who subsequently apologized.

As the university continues examining the conduct captured on camera, the broader argument over media coverage remains unresolved. The controversy has become both a campus disciplinary matter and a national discussion about racial sensitivity, proportionality and whether news organizations apply consistent standards when selecting stories involving race and violence.

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