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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. đŸ€”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.

05/05/2019 6:00 PMupdated: 05/06/2019 1:11 PM
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1358 comments

  • Bubba K.
    2 days

    You meant to cause trouble Suck it up Butter Cup Ha Ha 👍

  • Jesus G.
    2 days

    Just so you know. The gas chambers are ready. American Nazis are real

  • Vicente S.
    2 days

    Que tiene de malo mostrar el Id creo que uno deberĂ­a identificarse

  • Keedy K.
    3 days

    maybe he comes in there everyday and felt disrespected when they asked him for his ID

  • Antonio P.
    3 days

    Does he even ever bathe? I guess that's a "lifestyle option " as well...

  • Armando L.
    3 days

    Thats the cost of not cooperating

  • John P.
    3 days

    This is why we must abolish qualified immunity in the United States for law enforcement officers and must make it mandatory that all law enforcement officers nation wide must buy with their own income liability insurance and must maintain their premiums and must make it mandatory that failure to maintain their premiums means permanent termination from law enforcement and lose their pension, law enforcement license, badge, pistol permit, gun and must immeadly be registered on the national blacklist barring them from ever holding a law enforcement job ever again!!

  • Greg D.
    4 days

    Must not of been to hungry

  • Billie J.
    4 days

    Never judge a book by its cover

  • Adam C.
    4 days

    He went through Barnard at night. Every man regardless of race is asked for an ID before going in Barnard at night. It’s not racial bias; he just made a fuss about it. You can find white guys who also refuse to show their ID at Barnard at night.

  • Vincent B.
    4 days

    Should’ve slapped his face too!

  • Benjamin B.
    4 days

    It’s funny how white people always say we should comply for being harassed while we are doing nothing criminal or causing no type of disturbance đŸ€”đŸ€”đŸ€”

  • Chaca V.
    4 days

    do you think he was the only student there looking for free food

  • David G.
    5 days

    "this the third time I've been chased down by..." Looking for a pay check...

  • Oluway D.
    5 days

    Technically by law YOU DO NOT HAVE TO GIVE UR ID UNLESS YIU ARE BEING APPREHEND WHICH HE WAS NOT! Meaning you cant just assume someone isnt supposed to be there call the police and force them to prove it BECAUSE THAT GIES AGAINT THEIR BASIC RIGHTS! Why is ok for white people to know their rights and use them but not blacks?đŸ€”

  • Kenneth Q.
    5 days

    I always go to work in a government building and Even if I work there when the Police officer asked to see my I D. I have to present it this is every time I go into the gates or into the compound

  • Kenneth Q.
    5 days

    Always blaming the racism thing

  • Jesus M.
    5 days

    You need to suit them all.

  • John S.
    5 days

    He was ask to show his ID to the officer’s. They are doing their job. He could have avoided everything.

  • Larry D.
    5 days

    Just give the man ur I'd stupid, he calls it racist I call him stupid