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USC investigates racist messages made to African-American students

University President Bob Caslen called the incident 'unacceptable and disgusting.'

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The University of South Carolina is investigating after a group of African-American students were subjected to racist insults on a video conference call. 

The call, made using Zoom software, took place Friday night and involved members of the Association of African American Students at the school. The group was doing a virtual version of their annual end-of-year cookout. 

The group posted on Twitter that during the call, several unknown people entered the online gathering. Those persons, who were wearing blackface, then began using racial slurs against the members, and one of them used a background that featured the Nazi flag. 

"We are completely repulsed by the actions of these individuals and offer our support to those who were subject to or in any way impacted by it," the association wrote. 

The incident quickly got the attention of USC President Robert Caslen, who said the school would investigate. 

"What happened at the AAAS Cookout is absolutely unacceptable & disgusting," Caslen wrote. "I can’t apologize enough to the UofSC students who witnessed such ignorance while gathering to fellowship with one another during this unprecedented time. University officials are aware & are investigating." 

Zoom has become a key way that people are communicating during the pandemic, but security experts say it has flaws which allow people to join calls without permission.

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