Arkansas college to investigate allegations of fans' racist chants at basketball games, official says

An Arkansas community college will investigate allegations that fans attending basketball games yelled monkey noises and crow caws at black opponents, an official said Monday.

North Arkansas College men’s and women’s basketball teams played Labette Community College in Harrison on Wednesday, the teams' online schedules show. On Saturday, the Parsons Sun, a southeast Kansas newspaper that covers the Labette teams, reported that the visiting players were met with racist chants.

Video footage of the game showed a member of the North Arkansas crowd cawing like a crow several times when black Labette players shot free throws, according to the Sun.

North Arkansas fans were also said to have made monkey noises directed at Labette players, often when the visiting team was on offense.

Crow caws have often been used to reference Jim Crow laws, the Sun noted. The Kansas newspaper didn't say who took the video.

North Arkansas College President Randy Esters said Monday that the school plans to investigate the report but officials have not seen the video referenced by the Sun nor received complaints from anyone at the games.

“If those offenses were made by Northark students or employees, we will take appropriate actions to ensure it does not happen in the future,” Esters said in a statement. “This situation is truly unfortunate since we make every effort to be inclusive and welcoming to all of our students, community and visitors.”

A request for the footage by an Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reporter had not been fulfilled as of Monday afternoon.

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