EUGENE, Oreg. — The fallout over offensive chants led by University of Oregon fans towards followers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continued Monday.
In a scathing letter sent to his school's own supporters, Oregon president Patrick Phillips called the profanity-laced chants "egregious behavior" from fans during the BYU game over the weekend.
"I condemn the behavior of these fans on Saturday. It angers me. It disgusts me," wrote Phillips.
Phillips reminded the school's community that some members of the Oregon football team are also members of the church, along with diehard Ducks fans sitting inside Autzen Stadium in Eugene.
"How did they feel in that moment? I hope that everyone will reflect on the reality that, what may seem like a lark to some, tells someone else in our community that they are not welcome, and that they should be afraid based on who they are and what they believe," Phillips wrote. "Our path toward true inclusion starts with empathy for how others might be experiencing a given incident or interaction."
Several people sitting in the Oregon Pit Crew student section were seen yelling the offensive chant several times through the game, which the Ducks won 41-20. A student sitting nearby said fans continued to sing the chant additional times throughout the rest of the game.
The student section issued its own statement immediately after the game, apologizing for the actions that were shared on social media. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox called the chants "religious bigotry" in a tweet.
Religious bigotry alive and celebrated in Oregon. https://t.co/l8BdsSJWu2
— Spencer Cox (@SpencerJCox) September 18, 2022
In finishing up his letter, Phillips said he hopes Oregon students, staff and fans no longer accept inappropriate behavior that reflects poorly on the entire campus and community.
"These types of incidents call upon us to stand up against such behavior when we witness it — a task made easier when we stand together. This is who we seek to be as a university, and the standard to which we hold ourselves. We will continue to educate our community about our values and how to live them in words and actions."
Following Phillips' letter, BYU released its first official statement on the chant.
"We appreciate the sincere apology from the University of Oregon regarding the behavior of some fans at Autzen Stadium on Saturday. We recognize that this isolated behavior does not reflect the values of the University of Oregon. As we all work together to address incidents that seek to divide us, we are grateful for those who are willing to come together to build bridges of understanding."
