Sarah Mitchell
On January 18, 2019, a group of Covington Catholic School boys were accused of chanting Build the Wall while harassing Native American Vietnam veteran Nathan Phillips at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The incident sparked controversy and led to accusations of racism, with some claiming that the boys' behavior displayed blatant hate, disrespect, and intolerance towards Native Americans. However, the boys were later deemed innocent, as investigations found no evidence of the chant. This event raises questions about the acceptable boundaries of free speech and the role of media in shaping public perception.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Incident | 18 January 2019 |
| Location | Washington D.C. |
| People Involved | Covington Catholic School Boys, Nathan Phillips, Nick Sandmann |
| Nature of Incident | Alleged Chanting of "Build the Wall" by Covington Catholic School Boys |
| Outcome | Covington Catholic School Boys Deemed Innocent |
| Other Details | Boys Harassed for Wearing "Make America Great Again" Hats |
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What You'll Learn
The Catholic boys were cleared of chanting Build the wall
On January 18, 2019, a group of Covington Catholic School boys were harassed in Washington D.C. for wearing 'Make America Great Again' hats. The boys were rallying peacefully at an anti-abortion March for Life event when they were approached by a Black Israelite group who chanted obscene comments. Following this incident, Nathan Phillips, a Native American participant of the Indigenous Peoples March, approached Nick Sandmann, a Covington student, and sang an indigenous song at him. Phillips claimed that he heard the boys chant 'Build the Wall' and that this was why he approached them. However, after interviewing the twenty chaperones and watching the videos, it was allegedly proven false, and the Covington Catholic school boys were cleared of any wrongdoing on February 13, 2019. The Bishop of Covington held an investigation and concluded that the boys did not start the confrontation.
The incident sparked widespread controversy and garnered significant media attention. Covington Catholic's social media accounts were made private to prevent public access to their content. The school and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington issued a joint statement condemning the actions of the students towards Phillips and Native Americans in general. They extended their deepest apologies to Phillips, emphasizing that such behavior goes against the Church's teachings on human dignity and respect.
In the aftermath of the incident, celebrities and public figures weighed in on the situation. Alyssa Milano compared the MAGA hat to a "white hood hat", while Senator Elizabeth Warren, Jim Carrey, and Kathy Griffin faced libel lawsuits from Nick Sandmann. Sandmann also sued The Washington Post for $250 million, arguing that they portrayed him as racist due to his white male identity and the hat he wore.
The controversy surrounding the Covington Catholic School boys highlights the ongoing debate over free speech in America and the acceptability of certain forms of expression. It also underscores the sensitive nature of race relations and the treatment of Native Americans in the country.
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Nathan Phillips claimed the boys chanted Build that wall
On January 18, 2019, a group of Covington Catholic School boys were harassed in Washington D.C. for wearing 'Make America Great Again' hats. The boys were rallying peacefully at a March for Life event. A Native American participant of the Indigenous March, Nathan Phillips, approached Nick Sandmann, a Covington student, and sang an indigenous song while beating his drum. Phillips claimed that he heard the boys chanting "Build that wall" and that is why he approached them.
Phillips, a Native American political activist, is known for his role in the 2019 Lincoln Memorial confrontation in Washington, D.C. He has been described as a bully by some, and his claims about the incident with the Covington boys were proven to be false. An independent investigation found no evidence of offensive or racist statements by the students, including the "`Build the Wall' chant". The investigation also found that the boys had told the truth about what happened and that Phillips had instigated the situation.
In interviews, Phillips claimed he heard the students chanting, "Build that wall! Build that wall!" and making racist comments. He stated, "This is indigenous land... we're not supposed to have walls here. We never did for a millennium before anybody else came here". He described the event as "that moment I... put myself between beast and prey. These young men were beastly". However, video evidence of the event contradicted or failed to confirm Phillips' version of events.
The Covington Diocese, which supervises the school, announced plans to investigate the incident, and a spokeswoman expressed regret that it had taken place. The Bishop of Covington also held an investigation to prove that the boys did not start the confrontation. As a result, on February 13, 2019, the Covington Catholic school boys were proven blameless for their actions.
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The boys were wearing Make America Great Again hats
On January 18, 2019, a group of Covington Catholic School boys were harassed in Washington D.C. for wearing 'Make America Great Again' (MAGA) hats. The boys were in the nation's capital to rally peacefully at a March for Life event. The MAGA hats are red hats with the phrase 'Make America Great Again' written on them. The hats are often associated with former US President Donald Trump and his supporters. Trump himself has described what MAGA means to him, saying: "To me, it meant jobs. It meant industry, and [it meant] military strength. It meant taking care of our veterans. It meant so much".
MAGA hats have been interpreted in different ways by people across the political spectrum. Republicans interpret the phrase as a call for the renewal of the US economy and military might, as well as a return to "traditional" values, especially those relating to gender roles and gender identities. Democrats, on the other hand, view MAGA as a call for a return to white supremacy and growing authoritarianism. They argue that it is a chant for racist, fascist, and otherwise bigoted actors to unite under.
The Covington Catholic School boys were first approached by a Black Israelite group, who chanted obscene comments at them. Following this incident, Nathan Phillips, a Native American participant of the Indigenous March, approached Nick Sandmann, one of the Covington students. Phillips claimed that he heard the boys chant "Build the Wall," which is why he approached them. However, after interviewing the twenty chaperones and reviewing videos of the incident, it was allegedly found that the boys did not chant this phrase. The boys were later proved blameless, and the Bishop of Covington held an investigation to clear them of any wrongdoing.
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The boys were rallying at a March for Life event
On January 18, 2019, a group of Covington Catholic School boys gathered in Washington D.C. to rally peacefully at a March for Life event. The boys were first approached by a Black Israelite group who chanted obscene comments. Following this, Nathan Phillips, a Native American participant of the Indigenous March, approached Nick Sandmann, a Covington student, and chanted an indigenous song at him. Phillips claimed that he heard the boys chant "Build the Wall", which is why he approached them. However, after interviewing the twenty chaperones and watching the videos, it was allegedly false.
The Covington Catholic School boys were wearing 'Make America Great Again' hats and were there to rally peacefully. Unfortunately, their day took a turn for the worse when they were harassed not only by the Black Israelite group but also by celebrities. Alyssa Milano, for instance, stated that the MAGA hat is the new "white hood hat". Along with Milano, several other celebrities, including Senator Elizabeth Warren, Jim Carrey, and Kathy Griffin, are being sued for libel by Nick Sandmann. Sandmann has also sued The Washington Post for $250 million, claiming that they destroyed his image by making him look racist due to his wearing of the MAGA hat.
The incident involving Phillips and the Covington Catholic School boys sparked a huge controversy. Phillips, a Native American war veteran, was singing and beating his drum when he was surrounded, intimidated, and chanted over by the boys. The Diocese of Covington, which supervises the school, announced plans to investigate, and videos of the confrontation were widely shared. In the videos, the boys can be heard chanting "Build that wall, build that wall". Phillips responded by saying, "This is indigenous land, you're not supposed to have walls here. We never did for a millennia, before anyone else came here, we never had walls, we never had a prison".
The school and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington issued a joint statement condemning the actions of the students towards Phillips and Native Americans in general. They extended their deepest apologies to Phillips, stating that the behavior was opposed to the Church's teachings on the dignity and respect of the human person. The statement was issued after millions viewed the videos of the incident and hundreds, if not thousands, denounced the private, all-boys school.
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The boys were approached by a Black Israelite group
On January 18, 2019, a group of Covington Catholic School boys were initially approached by a Black Israelite group in Washington, D.C. The boys were there to rally peacefully at a March for Life event. However, the day took an unfortunate turn when they were subjected to harassment. The Black Israelite group directed obscene chants at the boys, including "incest babies," "future school shooters," and "crackers."
Following this incident, the boys encountered Nathan Phillips, a Native American participant of the Indigenous March. Phillips claimed that he heard the boys chant "Build the Wall," which prompted him to approach Nick Sandmann, one of the Covington students, and chant an indigenous song at him. In response to these accusations, the Covington Catholic school boys were exonerated on February 13, 2019, following an investigation led by the Bishop of Covington.
The controversy sparked widespread discussion and garnered significant attention. Videos of the confrontation were widely circulated, and the Diocese of Covington issued a joint statement with Covington Catholic High, expressing regret over the incident and apologizing to Phillips. They condemned the students' actions, emphasizing that such behavior goes against the Church's teachings on human dignity and respect.
The incident also led to broader conversations about freedom of speech and the acceptability of certain expressions. Additionally, celebrities such as Alyssa Milano, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Jim Carrey, and Kathy Griffin voiced their opinions on the matter, with Milano stating that the MAGA hat represents the new "white hood hat." Nick Sandmann, one of the Covington students, sued several entities and individuals for libel, including The Washington Post, claiming that they portrayed him as racist.
While the investigation cleared the Covington Catholic School boys of initiating the conflict, the incident underscores the complexities surrounding freedom of speech and the potential for misinterpretation and conflict in highly charged situations.
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Frequently asked questions
Native American veteran Nathan Phillips claimed that the boys from Covington Catholic School chanted "build the wall". However, after interviewing the chaperones and watching the videos, the boys were deemed innocent.
The Covington Catholic School boys were in Washington D.C. to rally peacefully at a March for Life event on 18 January 2019.
The Diocese of Covington and Covington Catholic High issued a joint statement condemning the actions of the students towards Nathan Phillips and Native Americans in general. The school's social media accounts were also made private.
