Student In MAGA Hat Seen Taunting Native American Man In D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A Kentucky Catholic school has issued a statement apologizing to a Native American elder and Vietnam veteran after a video showed students from the school mocking him in Washington D.C. on Friday.

The students were in the nation's capital attending the annual pro-life March For Life event, which was happening on the same day as the Indigenous People's March. One video uploaded to YouTube shows a group of teenage boys surrounding a Native American man as he sang a traditional song. The group can be seen and heard in the video mocking and harassing the man.

One teen wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat stands inches in front of the man and stares at him while he sings and plays a drum. Some of the other students were also seen wearing "Make America Great Again" hats.

At one point, a woman tells the students that they are "acting like a mob."

The man in the video singing and playing a drum has since been identified as Nathan Phillips. According to Indian Country Today, Phillips is an Omaha elder and a Vietnam war veteran. The publication reported that Phillips holds an annual ceremony honoring Native American veterans at Arlington National Cemetery.

"We condemn the actions of the Covington Catholic High School students towards Nathan Phillips specifically, and Native Americans in general, Jan. 18, after the March for Life, in Washington, D.C.," The Diocese of Covington and Covington Catholic High School said in a statement.

"We extend our deepest apologies to Mr. Phillips. This behavior is opposed to the Church’s teachings on the dignity and respect of the human person."

The statement added that the matter is being investigated and appropriate action, up to and including expulsion, will be taken.

Deb Haaland, a Democrat from New Mexico and one of the first Native American women elected to Congress, said "the students' display of blatant hate, disrespect, and intolerance is a signal of how common decency has decayed under this administration."

The video drew widespread condemnation with people taking to social media to express their disapproval of the behavior.

In an interview with The Washington Post, Phillips said the teens suddenly swarmed him and other activists as their march came to an end. He told the Post he felt threatened by them.

"It was getting ugly, and I was thinking: ‘I’ve got to find myself an exit out of this situation and finish my song at the Lincoln Memorial,’" Phillips told the Post. "I started going that way, and that guy in the hat stood in my way and we were at an impasse. He just blocked my way and wouldn’t allow me to retreat."

According to the Post, Phillips was singing the American Indian Movement song of unity.

You can watch the video uploaded to YouTube that has since been widely shared below:

Photo screenshot via YouTube