Student Nick Sandmann says video of him next to Nathan Phillips has been misrepresented, leading to ‘outright lies’

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

A high school student seen with classmates appearing to confront a Native American veteran has issued a statement saying that video footage of the incident gave the false impression that the teens were instigators in the confrontation.

Nick Sandmann, a student from the private, all-male Covington Catholic High School in northern Kentucky, was seen in the video standing face to face with the Indian activist, Nathan Phillips, staring at him with a smile, while Phillips sang and played a drum.

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The footage, shared online by organizers of an indigenous people’s march that took place in Washington on Friday, shows a group of fellow Covington students surrounding Phillips apparently mocking him.

Phillips recounted in a separate video that he heard the students chanting “build that wall,” during the encounter.

The students, many wearing baseball caps emblazoned with President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan, were in the nation’s capital the same day for an anti-abortion rally.

The footage sparked outrage on social media and led the high school to issue a statement condemning the students’ actions and promising an investigation.

But Sandmann, whose statement was tweeted by CNN anchor Jake Tapper late on Sunday, insisted the video was misinterpreted, leading to “outright lies being spread about my family and me.”

He denied acting with any disrespect towards Phillips.

According to Sandmann, his group was waiting on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial for their bus back to Kentucky when four African American protesters nearby began shouting racially charged insults at them.

With permission from their teacher chaperones, the students responded by shouting “school spirit” chants to “drown out the hateful comments” directed at them.

In the midst of this interaction, Sandmann said, he noticed that a Native American protester, since identified as Phillips, “began playing his drum as he waded into the crowd, which parted for him.”

“He locked eyes with me and approached me, coming within inches of my face. He played his drum the entire time he was in my face,” Sandmann said.

“I never interacted with this protester. I did not speak to him. I did not make any hand gestures or other aggressive moves,” Sandmann wrote, adding that he was “startled and confused” as to why Phillips approached him.

Sandmann said he reasoned that by remaining “motionless and calm” he hoped to defuse the situation.

Phillips said he was trying to keep peace between the Kentucky high school students and a black religious group that was also on the National Mall on Friday.

“Something caused me to put myself between (them) – it was black and white,” said Phillips. “What I saw was my country being torn apart. I couldn’t stand by and let that happen.”

Outcry after Kentucky students in Maga hats mock Native American veteran Read more

In a video, 64-year-old Phillips, an elder of Nebraska’s Omaha tribe, wiped away tears as he described the incident.

Other videos also showed members of the religious group, who appear to be affiliated with the Black Hebrew Israelite movement, yelling disparaging and profane insults at the students, who taunt them in return. Video also shows the Native Americans being insulted by the small religious group as well.

The US Park Police, who have authority for security on the Mall, were not taking calls from media during the partial government shutdown.

In a joint statement , the Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington and Covington Catholic High School apologized and said they were investigating and will take “appropriate action, up to and including expulsion.”

“We extend our deepest apologies to Mr Phillips,” the diocese statement read. “This behavior is opposed to the Church’s teachings on the dignity and respect of the human person.”