Sarah Mitchell
On January 18, 2019, a confrontation occurred between groups of political demonstrators near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The incident involved Covington Catholic High School students, Native American Nathan Phillips, and a group of Black Hebrew Israelites. Phillips claimed that he intervened to defuse escalating tension between the students and the Black Hebrew Israelites, who were exchanging taunts. The students denied allegations of racism and claimed they were provoked by the Black Hebrew Israelites. Video evidence shows Phillips approaching the Covington Catholic group, with one student standing very close to him as chants continue. The incident sparked widespread outrage, with the students receiving death threats and the school temporarily closing due to safety concerns.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of incident | 18 January 2019 |
| Location | Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C. |
| People involved | Nathan Phillips, Covington Catholic High School students |
| Description of incident | Phillips approached the Covington Catholic group, who were performing school chants and cheers |
| Claims by Phillips | Covington students chanted "Build that Wall"; Covington students were disrespectful and racist |
| Claims by Covington students | Phillips claimed he was surrounded, but video evidence suggests otherwise; Phillips barged into them |
| Response by Covington Catholic | Issued a statement expressing regret and promising appropriate action |
| Response by Diocese of Covington | Initially condemned the students' behaviour and promised action, but later apologised to the students and criticised the media |
| Media involvement | Short video clips of the incident went viral on social media, sparking outrage and death threats against the students |
| Legal action | Nick Sandmann, a Covington student, threatened legal action against multiple media outlets and public figures for misportraying his actions |
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What You'll Learn
The students' behaviour
On January 18, 2019, a confrontation occurred between groups of political demonstrators near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The incident involved Covington Catholic High School students, Native American activists, and a group of Black Hebrew Israelites. The Covington Catholic students were in Washington for the annual March for Life, an anti-abortion protest.
Before the students arrived, the Black Hebrew Israelites were already at the Lincoln Memorial, shouting scripture and taunting passersby. As the Covington students arrived, the Black Hebrew Israelites began to taunt them. In response, the students performed school spirit chants, including a version of a Māori haka. Some students also performed the tomahawk chop, which many Native Americans consider racially insensitive.
Native American activist Nathan Phillips, a member of the Omaha tribe, had participated in the Indigenous Peoples March earlier that day. He listened to the chants for about ten minutes before approaching the students. In an interview, Phillips stated that he intended to defuse the escalating tension between the students and the Black Hebrew Israelites, whom he believed the students were about to attack.
During the incident, Phillips and another Native American drummer walked towards the group of Covington students, who were standing along the stairs. One student, Nicholas Sandmann, stood very close to Phillips as the chants continued. Sandmann, wearing a "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) hat, later stated that he was confused by Phillips's approach and tried to remain calm to avoid trouble. He denied hearing any students chant "build that wall" or anything hateful or racist.
The incident sparked outrage and controversy, with initial media reports portraying the Catholic students as aggressors. However, longer videos from different angles suggested that the students may have been provoked by the Black Hebrew Israelites. The Diocese of Covington launched an investigation and initially condemned the students' behavior, but later cleared them of wrongdoing. The incident highlights the complex dynamics of race, religion, and ideological beliefs in the United States.
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Phillips' perception of the incident
On January 18, 2019, a confrontation between groups of political demonstrators occurred near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The incident involved Covington Catholic High School student Nicholas Sandmann and Native American Nathan Phillips.
Phillips, a member of the Omaha tribe, had been in Washington, D.C. to participate in the Indigenous Peoples March and celebrate Indigenous People's Day. He claimed that he approached the Covington Catholic students to defuse what he perceived as escalating tension between the students and a group of Black Hebrew Israelites. According to Phillips, the students were in the process of attacking four Black individuals, and he placed himself between them to intervene. He described the students as "beastly" and claimed that they were targeting their "prey".
Phillips also accused the students of chanting "build that wall" at him, which he found offensive as "these are indigenous lands". He further pointed to the tomahawk chop performed by some students as disrespectful and racially insensitive. In his early press interviews, he accused the students of hate and racism.
The Diocese of Covington initially issued a statement condemning the actions of the students and promising to take appropriate action, including the possibility of expulsion. However, they later cleared the students of any wrongdoing. Phillips stood by his original observations, maintaining that the situation seemed potentially dangerous and that the students were disrespectful.
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The media's portrayal
Initial media reports presented a narrative of Caucasian Catholic schoolboys harassing a Native American elder, perpetuating a centuries-old stereotype of Native people as a threat to white settlers. This narrative was fuelled by visual imagery of a smiling Sandmann, wearing a MAGA hat, standing face-to-face with Phillips, who was singing and playing a drum. The students' attire, which included Make America Great Again hats, was interpreted by some Indigenous Peoples March participants as "aggressive and disruptive to their demonstration."
Phillips claimed that he had intervened to defuse escalating tensions between the students and a group of Black Hebrew Israelites, asserting that the students were "beastly" and that their behaviour was disrespectful, racially charged, and harmful. He also alleged that the students had chanted "Build that Wall," a claim that was not corroborated by existing video evidence.
In contrast, Sandmann and his supporters maintained that the students were the ones being provoked and that they responded with school spirit chants. They refuted Phillips' claims, stating that he had approached them and disputing any racist or hateful language used by the students. Sandmann's lawyers sent letters to over 50 media outlets, celebrities, and Catholic organizations, threatening legal action for libel and defamation.
The Diocese of Covington initially condemned the students' behaviour and promised to take appropriate action, including expulsion. However, they later cleared the students of any wrongdoing and apologised to Sandmann, acknowledging that their initial statement was premature.
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The students' punishment
The students of Covington Catholic, an all-boys, predominantly white Catholic high school, were initially threatened with expulsion. The Diocese of Covington, which oversees the school, had stated that the students' behaviour was under investigation and that they could face punishment, including expulsion. The Diocese had also initially condemned the students' behaviour and apologised for the incident, particularly to Nathan Phillips, the Native American elder, and to all those who attended and supported the pro-life movement.
However, despite the viral videos showing the students surrounding and taunting Phillips, investigators found no evidence of "offensive or racist statements" by the students. The Diocese of Covington celebrated this news, saying the students had been ""exonerated" and could move on with their lives. The Diocese also apologised for their initial condemnation of the students' behaviour, stating that they had been "bullied and pressured into making a statement prematurely".
The investigation, conducted by a private company, included interviews with 43 students and 16 chaperones and a review of about 50 hours of internet activity. Notably, investigators did not interview Nathan Phillips, as they were unable to reach him.
While the students were not punished by their school or diocese, one student, Nicholas Sandmann, was sued by the family of a teenager who was also involved in the incident.
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The aftermath
On January 18, 2019, a confrontation between groups of political demonstrators took place near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The incident involved Covington Catholic High School student Nicholas Sandmann and Native American Nathan Phillips.
In the aftermath of the incident, there was significant backlash and outrage directed at the Covington Catholic students, with many people on social media platforms falsely portraying the students as the aggressors. The students and the school received threats of violence, leading to the temporary closure of Covington Catholic High School.
In response to the incident, the communications director of Covington Catholic expressed regret and issued a joint statement with the Diocese of Covington condemning the students' behaviour and promising to take appropriate action, including possible expulsions. However, the bishop of the Covington Diocese later apologised to Sandmann and his family, stating that they should not have issued a premature statement.
Nick Sandmann and his family also took legal action, sending preservation letters to more than 50 media outlets, celebrities, and Catholic organisations, including The Washington Post, CNN, The New York Times, and the Diocese of Covington. They claimed that misinformation and "outright lies" were spread about the incident and that Sandmann did not approach, block, mock, or threaten Phillips.
The investigation commissioned by the Diocese of Covington cleared the Covington Catholic students of any wrongdoing. However, Nathan Phillips maintained that the students' behaviour was disrespectful and potentially dangerous. He pointed to the tomahawk chop performed by some students as an example of racially insensitive behaviour.
The incident sparked discussions about the complex dynamics involving race, religion, and ideological beliefs. Some commentators highlighted the historical context of Native Americans being portrayed as a threat to white settlers and the resulting justifications for assault and lack of accountability. Others pointed out the role of the Black Hebrew Israelites in provoking the students and the larger reality of settler privilege and fragility that was not adequately addressed by the media.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Phillips and a second Native American drummer approached the group of Covington Catholic students.
Phillips and the other drummer sang the AIM Song, a Native American intertribal song, and performed a ceremonial drum beat. Phillips claims that he approached the group to defuse what he perceived as escalating tension between the students and the Black Hebrew Israelites.
The students responded with school spirit chants. Some performed the tomahawk chop, which many Native Americans find racially insensitive. Phillips described the situation as "potentially dangerous".
