One of the students claimed he was drunk when he posted the racist photo in the class group chat. (Screenshot courtesy of Twitter)
Two University of Sheffield students are in hot water after posting racially offensive memes in their course group chat last week.
Screenshots from a computer science group chat were posted to Twitter Thursday, Nov. 16, showing where two students at the UK university had shared memes comparing Black Lives Matter to a movie poster for “The Rise of the Planet of the Apes.” Another picture posted in the chat showed illustrations of children’s book character “Snigger the Monkey.”
The first meme, shared by student Hugo Casañas Salgado, read, “Can I copy your homework? Yea, but change it a bit so it doesn’t look obvious,” followed by the movie poster with an image of Black Lives Matter underneath it. Shortly afterward, classmate Dominic Lounes shared an image of a monkey from a children’s book that read, “This is Snigger the Monkey. He loves eating tasty bananas.”
Both students have since expressed remorse over sending the memes, with Salgado claiming he was intoxicated. Meanwhile, Lounes said he thought sharing the image of “Snigger” would help to diffuse an already tense situation.
Their classmates begged to differ, however, with some responding in anger.
“What the f-ck, dude?,” one student responded. “That’s just f-cked.”
Another student took it a little easier on the two, writing, “Anyways Hugo, I’m just making sure you know I forgive you for that meme you posted.”
Black students at the university also took to Twitter to clap back at the duo for their blatant racism and alerted school leaders to the offensive photos.
https://twitter.com/kimberleyjohn_/status/931227544057188354
https://twitter.com/SiiMPLY_iKe/status/930964840025378816
This is totally unacceptable @sheffielduni @ISCommittee @ShefUniBME @ACSSheffield @SheffieldSU pic.twitter.com/IafX3QJ3Qx
— Chidinma Ekanem Chukwuma (@chidinma_c) November 16, 2017
“I was drunk and did NOT mean to send it to that group, and CERTAINLY did not mean to offend anyone,” Salgado told The Tab. “I now have a meeting with my head of department. I must admit I quite regret sending it.”
Loudes also spoke with the news site, saying the meme was blown out of proportion and that he didn’t mean any harm.
“I had alcohol and I wasn’t in the best judgement,” he said. “Someone else sent something much more offensive comparing Black Lives Matter to Planet of the Apes, and in my lack of judgement, I sent that picture thinking it would defuse the situation … I now deeply regret it and am extremely sorry.
“I have apologized to the chat and if I could go back I would have never done that.”
A Sheffield University spokesman has since provided the following statement:
“There is no place at Sheffield for racism and we are confident that the views of these two individuals in no way represent Sheffield students, who take pride in being part of a community with students from over 140 different countries and all ethnic, religious and socio- economic backgrounds. Racism and xenophobia are abhorrent to staff and students and contradict our core values of mutual respect.”
“As with any cases when a student’s conduct is contrary to our disciplinary code, we will always take appropriate and timely disciplinary action.”
