Columbia Student Speaks Out About Racism
This is the moment a Columbia University student was pinned down by a public safety officer after he refused to show his I.D. 🤔He sat down with Brut to talk about the viral video and racism on college campuses.
Columbia Student Speaks Out About Racism
This Columbia University student is making a point about racial bias after being pinned down by campus security. Alexander McNab was leaving a dance practice by a student group that he participated in at Columbia and had seen somebody posted on Facebook that there was some extra food from an event on the other side of the street on Barnard’s campus, which is affiliated with Columbia. He goes into the library building and the food is still there, and the public safety officer comes in and says he had to show me I.D. and refused to do that. They asked him to leave the building. I said I'm not going to do that and then that's around when the video starts.
McNab refused to hand over his ID fighting for his rights, because of his experience with racial bias at Columbia. He decided to use the situation to prove a point about such experiences among students of color. Firmly believing that it's a pattern in the lives of many other students on campus. And it's not something that's a pattern that is equitably distributed by certain students who have to deal with this more than other students public safety officers at Columbia-Barnard tend to focus more on black students black and brown students.
The viral video of the incident has now been viewed thousands of times. Barnard and Columbia later released statements expressing regret about the incident of inequality. But McNab says the only reason action was taken is because of the evidence. Escalating the interaction that we were having from a verbal interaction to a physical interaction — spectacular visual media. That's why it went viral and that's why I've been talking to everybody and getting everybody's attention and re-sparking widespread conversation about these issues on campus.
Brut.
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803 comments
Alexander H.
05/05/2019 18:03Looks homeless and went into the library for food lol. Of course they asked for ID
Hammad K.
05/05/2019 18:05Why is it so hard to show ID? Even for the third or fifth time. After shitting his pants he surely showed them his ID.
Michael G.
05/05/2019 18:07All that could have been avoided by just showing an ID, he then gets to walk in with a smug expression. However, if after showing ID they still interrogate him and don't let him in the building, at that point he would have the upper hand and be seen as "the victim" in everyone's eyes.
Jesse J.
05/05/2019 18:09It's security risk... You could be some bum posing as a student... They don't know until you show your id....give your head a shake
Brian S.
05/05/2019 18:11You have to show ID, show your fucking ID and quit crying racism . So fucking stupid.
Richard M.
05/05/2019 18:14If you just showed your ID when asked everything would be fine. I have visited Columbia and Barnard, the campus are spread out and if campus security doesn't keep tabs on people entering the buildings things will get out of control. You are required to show your ID no matter what school owned building you enter. This guy is being a complete asshole and clearly wants a confrontation.
Nancy M.
05/05/2019 18:16WHY don't you just grab a brain? YOU are not the be-all and end-all of the world! EVERYBODY gets asked for I.D. for safety reasons! PISS on your 'individual rights!' In this day and era we can't afford them
Susan J.
05/05/2019 18:19This was every which way WRONG...how dare them! I would hope they all would lose their jobs!
Jeff K.
05/05/2019 18:20100% of cops are scum
Caryn G.
05/05/2019 18:21Keep sharing let this go viral
Harpreet S.
05/05/2019 18:23How about showing an ID when they asked for???
Giiles W.
05/05/2019 18:23Isn’t that mo salah
Alex B.
05/05/2019 18:25This is just another dumbass feeling entitled and assumes the world revolves around him, unless he actually believes the security guys can read minds or somthing, then hes just stupid.
Peter P.
05/05/2019 18:25Not showing ID is serious, because of the violence that can occur on campus. If he won't show Id, arrest his arse and physically take him out. Do fingerprints and put him on the 'watch' list.
Paula B.
05/05/2019 18:26Why would he keep his ID? Just to prove he has control even though he was wrong . All of them should be fired.
Lisa F.
05/05/2019 18:27Even if he was homeless looking for food. They didn't show a human any respect.
Amanda M.
05/05/2019 18:29So, he premeditates the situation and gets the reaction and bias he was going for to go viral. He admits to purposefully taking this from a verbal to a physical altercation to go viral from choosing not to show i.d. Hmmmm, sounds like a pattern here to set up officers into reacting the way they did. Show your I.d.. have a peaceful interaction without resistance and this would not have happened. Self inflicted bias is not discriminatory. It is the duty to protect students on campus. Have we not all been witness to the college shootings that go on? They naturally will have heightened security. Being unkempt looking like you’ve walked in off the street and refuse to show I.D. This altercation in particular is his doing.
Jessie C.
05/05/2019 18:29Is this a way to proof a point, think about it , I am brown, but I would know better than to look like that, and try to prove a point and by the way I am not educated!
Jeffrey M.
05/05/2019 18:30Lose they jobs
Shantanu A.
05/05/2019 18:30I don't understand what's the problem in showing ID? I am sure someone called those cops.just show your ID and enjoy the food