One arrested after Confederate monument at Ole Miss vandalized with words ‘spiritual genocide’

OXFORD, Miss. (WLBT) - A former student at the University of Mississippi has been arrested defacing school property.

On Saturday a Confederate monument on the campus was vandalized. The words “spiritual genocide” were painted on the monument during a rally on campus.

A viewer captured the monument on camera.

University officials have confirmed that Zachary Borenstein has been arrested and charged with injuring, destroying or defacing certain cemetery property, public buildings, schools or churches, or property thereof, a felony.

Borenstein will be arraigned on Monday by a Lafayette County Justice judge where bond will be set. He is a former student of the university having recently graduated with a master of arts degree.

Dozens were gathered on campus Saturday to protest the death of George Floyd.

Floyd died after an incident with a police officer who knelt on his neck for over 8 minutes. This incident was caught on camera and has sparked protests and unrest around the country.

Students at Ole Miss have been calling for the removal of this Confederate monument for more than a year. Hundreds gathered to protest the monument which has stood on campus for over 100 years.

The Mississippi Department of Archives and History voted to remove the statue from campus, but the Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees decided to delay voting on the request to relocate the monument in January.

We have reached out to Ole Miss for a statement on this act of vandalism.

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