A TikToker accused white students of mocking a song from a movie about Harriet Tubman, Harriet, and of lifting up Black students without their consent at a school dance.
The TikToker claimed in the video’s text that “Stand Up” played at a school dance at Norfolk Academy in Norfolk, Virginia. In the video, at least one Black student appears to get lifted off the ground, and several students have their fists in the air. The viral TikTok has been viewed over a million times.
“Chaperones were allegedly notified however the song played in its entirety,” the TikToker, @who.is.bri.x., wrote in the video’s overlay text. “This was an incredibly insensitive event, and those that were meant to be watching and ensuring the safety and comfort of the students allowed this to happen.”
@who.is.bri.x also said that students requested the song be played at the dance because they have an “infatuation” with it.
The TikToker claimed the dance took place on Feb. 12.
“They … put their fists up while smiling and laughing. After this, two black students were hoisted into the air and surrounded,” the TikToker wrote.
“During black history month too tho??” the TikToker questioned in the caption.
In an email, Norfolk Academy told the Daily Dot that it is “investigating this matter thoroughly.”
In a follow-up video, @who.is.bri.x said that white students from Norfolk have been commenting on the TikTok via “burner accounts” and that they are “attempting to distract from the gravity” of the situation.
“If this were truly coming from a place of respect for Black people, then they would be apologizing for the fact that their message was misconstrued,” she wrote in the video’s overlay text. “Not attacking a Black person for speaking out on it.”
@who.is.bri.x posted another TikTok claiming that she spoke with the Black students being picked up in the video and that they had said they “were not OK” with what happened.
“[One of the Black students] told me that he disagreed both with the song being played and with being picked up,” she says. “They were surrounded by people that they consider—or considered—to be their friends at this point in time, and were placed in a very difficult, uncomfortable, and, frankly, unfair situation.”
In the comments of her second follow-up video, @who.is.bri.x explained the relevance of “Stand Up” being played at the dance. She said the song was performed at Norfolk Academy by a choir from a local HBCU and that some students were “disrespectful during and after the performance.”
“There were some people that genuinely enjoyed it, there were also people who were mocking the song, [its] context, and it’s gravity,” the TikToker commented.
A commenter who seems to be a student from Norfolk Academy responded to @who.is.bri.x’s explanation saying that it was “such BS.”
“We gave them a standing applaud as we all enjoyed the song. That’s why the song was played. [Because] we liked it,” @jjj_qqqq1, an account with zero followers and no “likes,” commented. “Ur lying to push ur agenda without telling the truth.”
“I heard Bri is a neighborhood plug,” @jamarski_miles, another account without followers or likes, commented.
“You got expelled for being in possession of narcotics,” @actuallywhoisbri, who also doesn’t have followers or likes, commented.
The Daily Dot has reached out to @who.is.bri.x.
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