In the days following the Alabama football game against Texas, a video of Alabama fans yelling racist insults and homophobic slurs has garnered attention online. But some students say that such remarks were made not just toward these football players, but toward Texas fans in the stands as well.
In the video, fans can be heard repeatedly yelling a homophobic slur and telling several Black Texas players to “go back to the projects.”
The players targeted in the video include defensive back X’Avion Brice, defensive back Jelani McDonald, running back Tre Wisner and defensive back B.J. Allen Jr.
“The fact my son down there and they saying go back to the projects really just saddens my heart,” Angie Wisner, mother of Tre Wisner, wrote in response to the video on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The University provided a statement to The Crimson White, stating it did not condone the behavior displayed in the video.
“We are disgusted by reports of vile language and inappropriate behavior Saturday night,” the University said. “To be clear, we condemn this behavior, and it will not be tolerated in our venues. It is not representative of UA or our values.”
As of Tuesday evening, the University stated that the voice in the video had not been identified.
Multiple student organizations responded to the incident.
“The QSA wholeheartedly condemns the actions by the Alabama football fans involved in the abhorrently racist and homophobic video spreading on social media,” The University of Alabama’s Queer Student Association wrote in a statement. “We applaud the University’s swift response; however, we hope that actions will soon follow their words.”
The statement concluded, “We call on the University to work more closely with the QSA and other LGBTQIA+ student organizations to create a better campus culture. Hate should never roll at the University of Alabama.”
People in a different section of the stadium also yelled homophobic and racist remarks, Aidan Motherwell, a freshman mechanical engineering major, said.
Motherwell explained that during the third quarter of the game, students sitting next to him in the upper bowl began insulting nearby Texas fans, hurling homophobic and racial slurs at Texas fans.
“There were a lot of ‘go back to where you came from,’” Motherwell said.
Motherwell said that it appeared to be about three men yelling the insults to begin, but that eventually as many as 20 men were insulting the nearby Texas fans, many of whom Motherwell described as adults of color.
Eventually, one man who was targeting a specific Texas fan appeared to be escorted out of the stands by security, Motherwell said.
Meanwhile, he said other UA students were telling the men to stop, and he described the Texas fans’ response to the insults as “responsible and respectful.”
He said he went into the game with the mindset of “going to have fun, just kind of hanging out or maybe talk some light trash talk, as you do.”
“But once those heavy things started being said, I was just very uncomfortable, didn’t really want to be there anymore,” Motherwell said. He said that the environment felt hostile to him as a Hispanic man and that he felt slightly afraid.
The University said that fans are “strongly encouraged” to report issues to on-site security, and fans found in violation of the University’s rules are “promptly removed” and potentially banned from future events.
