A US university has suspended 15 students after a video of a group of fraternity brothers was released showing the men using racial slurs and homophobic language.
Members of the Theta Tau fraternity at Syracuse University were told on Friday they faced suspensions of up to two years, according to the New York Post.
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Karen Felton, a lawyer working on behalf of the men, told the paper most men were suspended for 'harassment' after the university's newspaper the Daily Orange shared the footage of the men. In the clip pledges - new students who hope to join up - can be heard repeating racist language and simulating a sexual assault on a disabled person.
In one clip a man can be heard saying: "I solemnly swear to always have hatred in my heart for n*****s, s**cs and most importantly, the fucking k***s," while others laugh.
After the clips appeared online the university's Chancellor Kent Syverud sent out an email to all staff and students in which he condemned the 'extremely troubling and disturbing conduct'.
"They include words and behaviors that are extremely racist, anti-semitic, homophobic, sexist, and hostile to people with disabilities," he wrote. "I am appalled and shaken by this and deeply concerned for all members of our community.
"The conduct is deeply harmful and contrary to the values and community standards we expect of our students. There is absolutely no place at Syracuse University for behavior or language that degrades any individual or group's race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender identity, disability or religious beliefs."
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The fraternity has previously apologised and saying it was a satirical sketch designed to show an 'uneducated, intolerant person'.
On its site, it says: "Each semester our new members are given the opportunity to write and act out a skit, in order to roast the active brothers. This event was never intended to be centered around racism or hate. This year, one of these brothers is a conservative Republican, and the new members roasted him by playing the part of a racist conservative character..
"It was a satirical sketch of an uneducated, racist, homophobic, misogynist, sexist, ableist and intolerant person. The young man playing the part of this character nor the young man being roasted do not hold any of the horrible views espoused as a part of that sketch."
According to Felton the students are planning to appeal the decision to suspend them.
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Syracuse University law professor Gregory Germain has advised a number of the students during the disciplinary process, he told the New York Post: "I think all of the students are willing to leave and want to go to another school. I think the question is whether they're going to be able to get into another school when they have on their transcript the scarlet letter of being suspended for harassment."
Source: New York Post; Daily Orange
Featured Image Credit: Daily Orange/CNN