Advertisement

Raven-Symone criticized for Spring Valley assault comments

By Marilyn Malara
Raven-Symone, seen here in 2011 arriving at the People's Choice Awards, prompted extensive backlash for comments she made regarding the Spring Valley High School assault during the after-show following 'The View.' File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
1 of 2 | Raven-Symone, seen here in 2011 arriving at the People's Choice Awards, prompted extensive backlash for comments she made regarding the Spring Valley High School assault during the after-show following 'The View.' File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 29 (UPI) -- Raven-Symone has garnered backlash once again, this time for her comments regarding the assault on a student by a police officer in South Carolina.

During Wednesday's after-show of The View, the 29-year-old co-host insisted the victim's alleged phone-use in the viral clip from Spring Valley High School was also at fault. Although the officer's actions were heinous, she said, the student shouldn't have been on the phone.

Advertisement

"The girl was told multiple times to get off the phone," Symone said. "There's no right or reason for him to be doing this type of harm, that's ridiculous. But at the same time, you gotta follow the rules in school. First of all, why are there cell phones in school? This shouldn't even be a problem to begin with, and he shouldn't have been acting like that on top of it."

"There's so much 'oomph' or gusto in younger people," the former child star explained further. "They feel like they can pop off at the mouth at an adult."

Symone's comments prompted a viral wave of backlash on the Internet soon after they aired for the actress' apparent "ignorance" regarding the severity of the unwarranted physical attack by the officer. Twitter users, commentators and others have reacted in anger and annoyance in the face of Symone's opinion.

Advertisement

This isn't the first time the television personality and former Cosby Show actress has come under fire for her comments regarding issues of police brutality or race. In early October, the co-host said she would choose not to hire a person with a "ghetto" name and prompted criticism for her apparent lack of self-awareness and hypocrisy.

In May, Symone made headlines again when she voiced her disapproval of the idea of placing Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill. "No offense to everyone that's going to be mad at me for saying this, I don't like that idea," she said. "I think we need to move a little bit forward. Let me just preface that I understand the history, I get it, trust me, I was taught, I was in that culture...I would've chosen Rosa Parks.

Advertisement

Critics disagreed with Symone, saying honoring the abolitionist would not "repeat history," like she argued, but ensure it would not repeat.

Latest Headlines