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Old video surfaces of Covington Catholic students in black paint

An old video is making the rounds on social media, which shows students from Covington Catholic — the high school at the center of the Indigenous Peoples March controversy — sporting black paint on their faces and bodies during a basketball game.

Users have accused the students on video of being racist, but many believe they’re simply taking part in a “blackout” event where fans wear one sole color. Almost all of the students in the video are wearing black clothing of some kind, some from head to toe.

The footage was posted on Covington’s YouTube page in 2012 under the title “Colonel Crazies Compilation Video.” It resurfaced Monday on social media following the incident in Washington involving Native American activist Nathan Phillips and Covington students.





At one point during the video, a graphic flashes across the screen saying “Blackout 2011” — which users have pointed to as proof of the students’ innocent intentions. There are multiple clips of the “Covington Crazies” donning black, and sometimes blue, face and body paint during various sporting events.

Covington officials could not be reached for comment Monday.





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