-Avier Wanjou-Brass-
Cousins!
New York State residents have been left in outrage following a Pearl River High School basketball game where fans showcased inappropriate and racist driven behavior!
While a black teen was shooting free throws, he was taunted with what has been described as jungle calls/ monkey noises.
Senior Harrison Jordan tells the Journal News, “You hear it but you don’t believe it.”
According to the Daily News, the incident was caught on video and posted to Twitter. The person nor the people making the noises can be seen in the footage, however Jordan claims he heard the offensive remarks on three occasions.
Terrance Rock, Nyack school board president, said that people knew something was awry and questioned why nobody stepped up and dealt with the problem. “Why didn’t any of them say, ‘Stop. Hey, who did that?” he asked the outlet.
Allowing monkey noises to echo through a gymnasium while an African American player shoots free throws, sanctions racism and hatred. Pearl River missed the mark to correct abhorrent behavior. Stop the Game. Remove the Offenders. Do Better! pic.twitter.com/i3GeSyNPnH
— RedHawks BBall (@NYACKHSHOOPS) February 10, 2022
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In a letter, Pearl River Superintendent Marco Pochintesta acknowledged the incident.
“At last night’s varsity basketball game versus Nyack High School, a very disturbing incident was reported in which student spectators from PRHS could be heard making monkey noises while students of color on the Nyack team took free throws,” Pochintesta. “I am outraged by these actions and the harm they have caused. This behavior will not be tolerated under any circumstances and the students involved will be addressed.”
New York Public High School Athletic Association officials call the verbal attacks against Nyack’s players “disturbing, alarming, and disappointing.”
Posted on @NYACHHSHOOPS Twitter account, the caption reads, “Allowing monkey noises to echo through a gymnasium while an African American player shoots free throws, sanctions racism and hatred. Pearl River missed the mark to correct abhorrent behavior. Stop the Game. Remove the Offenders. Do Better!”
Despite 2% of the River Pearl school district being Black, the high school team line-up when Nyack players were getting harassed on video were all white.