Community furious after racist comments about Muslim sixth-graders' class photo surface online

Community members are furious after people left racist comments about Muslim people on photos of a class of sixth-graders.

A St. Cloud, Minn. resident shared screenshots of the post and responses yesterday, pointing out that they were made by her “own neighbors,” who need to “understand the gravity of their words.”

She added that people needed to take action and mobilize by contacting the commenters’ workplaces and share the post to protect kids from “being subjected to racial predators.”

The original post, by someone named Gary Kopietz, of the photos containing the racist comments has now been removed.The resident posted two screenshots of the comments, some of which called the students “illegal.”

“They’re multiplying everywhere and we don’t know when they will attack us again. It only took a few men and 4 Planes to kill 3000 American’s!! When are we going to pack up all these Illegal’s and send them back where they came from?” one comment read.

“It’s time for real American patriots to walk up to Washington and start dragging out every illegal free rider support out of office...by the f****** neck!” another person wrote.

Others made remarks about some of the students’ hijabs.

“Women! Rip those hijabs off! You’re now living in a FREE country! Liberate yourselves from Islamic bondage!” a woman commented. “I don’t see not one girl without that thing on her head,” another added.

Community members were not having it, and called out the racist comments, pointing out that they’re problematic and that no one deserves so much hatred.

“Why do they keep saying illegals?? Do they think every non white person in America is an illegal?” one person questioned. Another responded with “Apparently, you're only legal if you're a white, straight, Christian.”

It is unclear whether Kopietz, the person behind the original offensive post, is affiliated with the St. Cloud Area school district.