Covington Catholic Reopens After Lincoln Memorial Controversy

The school decided to close Tuesday after threats were made against students who were in Washington, D.C., for the March for Life rally.

Covington Catholic Reopens After Lincoln Memorial Controversy

The Indigenous People's March was also held at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Friday.

Covington Catholic High School in Park Hills, Ky., is now open after closing on Tuesday as a precaution for potential violence.

After some controversy during several concurrent activist events at the Lincoln Memorial on Friday, protests have been going on outside the school and threats have been made over the last four days, reports CNN.

A group of Covington students were on a school-led trip to Washington to participate in the March for Life rally on Capitol Hill when they came face to face with tribe elder and political activist, Nathan Phillips, who was participating in the Indigenous People’s March.

A video of the confrontation was posted on YouTube and has since gone viral with over four million views. Student Nick Sandmann and Phillips were the focal points of the video, with Sandmann smiling while Phillips beats a drum and sings in Native American.

The Twitter account that made the video go viral has been suspended by Twitter due to the account’s suspicious origins.

Conflicting Accounts of Confrontation Paint Several Different Pictures

There have since been conflicting views on exactly what happened. Some say the students were mocking Phillips. Others say Phillips was the one who approached the boys with his drum.

Furthermore, some say a group of five black men, who were shouting vulgar insults at the rally, instigated the supposed confrontation, reports AP.

The group, known as the Black Hebrew Israelites, were allegedly calling Native American ralliers “Uncle Tomahawks” and the high schoolers “crackers.”

Many have come to the students’ defense, including President Trump, reports Local 12.

“Nick Sandmann and the students of Covington have become symbols of Fake News and how evil it can be,” the President tweeted on Tuesday. “They have captivated the attention of the world, and I know they will use it for good.”

Others believe Phillips is an “honorable man” who deserves an apology.

“It doesn’t matter what color they were, what political factions they were. It was disrespect,” one participant said of the way Phillips was treated.

Phillips says he would like to meet with the Covington students for a dialogue about cultural appropriation, racism and the importance of listening to and respecting diverse cultures.

Sandmann says Phillips, who is a U.S. Marine veteran, earned the right to speak freely and that he would not “comment on the words or account” of Phillips.

Covington Students Receive Death Threats, School Shooting Threats

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington said in a statement that there have been threats of violence against the school and its students.

“This is a very serious matter that has already permanently altered the lives of many people. It is important for us to gather the facts that will allow us to determine what corrective actions, if any, are appropriate,” read the statement.

Two students from Covington released a video statement Monday evening explaining what has happened to their school since Friday’s incident.

“There have been many threats against our lives, against our parents. Some of these include that we should be locked in the school and it should be burned to the ground, the school being bombed, school shooting threat,” said senior Sam Shroder, adding students are afraid to return to school.

School officials said police will be on campus throughout the entirety of Wednesday as well as after school during extracurricular activities.

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7 responses to “Covington Catholic Reopens After Lincoln Memorial Controversy”

  1. Bob Cutajar says:

    Wow. This article reeks of left-wing bias and spin; do you ever fact-check your work, Campus Safety, or just regurgitate Democrat Party talking points? Let’s see:

    1. The CovCath folks were NOT part of the Indigenous People’s March, as you stated in your article’s title; they were visiting the Lincoln Memorial and the video clearly shows that Nathan Phillips (Nathan Stanard) approached them.

    2. Your subtitle indicates that the students were “involved in a protest;” what “protest” would that be? The students participated — earlier — in a “March For Life” rally; is it a “protest” if you disagree with the contents, then?

    3. You then claim, “They became involved in the Indigenous People’s March when students wearing Make America Great Again hats allegedly began to mock the tribe elder, Nathan Phillips.” This is a lie. As stated before, the CovCath students did NOT “bec[o]me involved” with the Indigenous People’s March. A few students were wearing MAGA hats, but clearly not all or even a majority, as you intonated with your “when students wearing Make America Great Again hats” statement. Both the CovCath students (and chaperones) and participants in the nearby Indigenous People’s March were being harassed and cursed by a handful of Black Hebrew Israelites, which you and the Mainstream Media conveniently omitted…and using the word “allegedly” doesn’t give you permission to state that the CovCath students “mock[ed] the tribe elder.”

    4. Your statement regarding the viral video, “…it remains unclear what exactly happened,” is disingenuous. That video was specifically chosen to negatively target President Trump by omitting and disregarding the Black Hebrew Israelites as well as Nathan Phillips’ (Stanard’s) unimpeded movement directly towards the CovCath students (with his cameraman and another drummer in tow), and his stopping directly in front of one CovCath student, in particular, while the other CovCath students did NOT surround them.

    5. “While many feel the Covington boys were in the wrong” is yet another biased, gratuitous assertion based solely on a surgically-edited video…and you’re quick to get President Trump back into the discussion, since this entire episode exists for but one purpose: to let the leftist mainstream media get yet another “sound bite” to denigrate our Republican president. It appears that he’s correct in calling this just another example of “Fake News” blown out of proportion for (pro-left) political advantage.

    6. “Protest[e]rs believe Phillips is an “honorable man” who deserves an apology.” Phillips/Stanard identified himself as a Vietnam veteran in December, 2008 at a Washington, DC ceremony for Native American veterans; the original news article has been modified in the past 48 hours to correct his original bald-faced lie. Phillips/Stanard also claims to have been a “recon Ranger,” yet his military record shows no such accomplishment (he was a refrigeration repairman who, in his less than 4-year stint in the Marine Reserve, went AWOL no less than 3 times, and was discharged at the same rank he joined the Marine Corps). Regardless of his background, it was the 62 year-old Phillips/Stanard who juxtaposed himself in front of the MAGA hat-wearing CovCath “boy” (your term) for his photo-op; why should the “boy” need to apologize to the man for the video he and his entourage created?

    7. “Phillips says he would like to meet with the Covington students for a dialogue about cultural appropriation, racism and the importance of listening to and respecting diverse cultures.” Why did you conveniently omit both the written statement by the “boy” as well as his interview on the “Today Show” where he explained his actions, or where he thanked Phillips/Stanard for his service, says “I respect him” and “I’d like to talk to him?”

    Finally, you quickly mention the death threats and threats of violence and vandalism against the CovCath students (and their parents) as well as the school…but, for some unfathomable reason, Campus Safety Magazine does not discuss anything about campus safety? What are the best practices? What should the school be doing? What criminal and/or civil actions should be identified and considered? What can we learn from this situation?

    This article is merely a biased puff piece without any substance, and appears only to promote the division purposely created by the original “selective” video. Perhaps you can overcome YOUR bias and make some sort of feeble attempt to discuss school safety, for a change…

    • Katie Malafronte says:

      We appreciate your feedback. This article has since been updated to more appropriately include all sides.

  2. James Birch says:

    This is a terrible article, and glosses over the pertinent facts of what really happened. It protects itself by couching everything in terms of what “some believe” or “others believe”. What actually happened is that a group of MINORS were blasted into by many ADULTS in the media based on a few seconds of video. The minors and their families ended up receiving death threats because of it. When the full video was released, and the “adults” in the media had to retract and apologize for their actions and statements. This isn’t about what some do or do not “believe”. It’s about the unacceptable and and childlike behavior of the “adults” in the media who decide to 1) pick on teenagers and 2) do it without all the facts.

  3. Spencer Uhl says:

    Let’s not forget the actions of Phillips and his gang on the very next afternoon. Phillips, with his gang in tow, tried to enter the Basilica of the National Shrine to the Immaculate Conception while Mass was in progress. Security had to remove them and lock the doors. Harassment and intimidation seems to be the MO for this group. Thank you for Bob Cutajar for the above comment outlining a very biased article. I would expect better from this publication since we are all about stopping violence and bullying of our children on and off campus.

  4. Allen Honeycutt says:

    This article has no place in this forum. Bad editorial decision making. Should not have been presented in this manner. Not sure what the original intent was. If this represents a change in content focus CS will see a drop in readers I’m sure.

  5. Mike says:

    This is a political piece. I subscribed for safety information, not political disinformation. I’m unsubscribing as are my Public Safety associates.

  6. Jeana says:

    Katie, your reply to Bob Cutajar indicates that the article was updated “to more appropriately include all sides.” A better approach might be to present the facts, watch the video and look at the facts, not what someone says. An article about “some say…and others say…” is not helpful. Why did the Covington Catholic HS feel there was a potential for violence? Because many failed to include the whole story and instead put blame on the 16 and 17 year old students. And when that happens, what is a school to do? Campus Safety Magazine should have approached that angle or not approached the subject at all.

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