A University of St. Thomas student has withdrawn from the institution following a widely circulated video depicting her in a heated confrontation with an activist at an off-campus event. The university posted an apology from the student on its website Tuesday, four days after the incident. The video, which has garnered nearly 8 million views online, captured the student telling an activist, "Go back to your country, bitch."
"I want to sincerely apologize for my actions during the situation with the protesters. Regardless of the circumstances, I should have handled the situation with respect, and I take full responsibility for my behavior. I am truly sorry." University of St. Thomas Student, Apology Statement
The confrontation took place on October 14 at a Turning Point USA event held at the University of Minnesota, featuring women's sports advocate Riley Gaines. Following the video's widespread circulation, accusations of racism emerged, with some online posts describing the activist addressed as a "brown man." Bring Me The News, a local news outlet, used "racist comment" in its headline regarding the incident.
The activist involved has been identified as Derek Torstenson, a self-described left-wing activist. Alpha News, another local media outlet, reports that Torstenson appears to be white. Torstenson claims he was adopted from Moscow and speaks with a "strong accent." This detail emerged as part of a broader discussion surrounding the context of the confrontation.
Sarah Barker, an attendee at the same event, provided an account to Alpha News regarding Torstenson's behavior. Barker stated she has encountered Torstenson at multiple demonstrations and recognized his routine of provocation. According to Barker, Torstenson held a megaphone near her ear on October 14, shouting phrases such as "you’re a transphobe," "you hate trans people," and "you should have been aborted." Barker recounted that she remained silent, having learned from previous encounters with him. Torstenson then reportedly shouted, "Are you deaf?"
Barker characterized Torstenson's actions as an attempt to elicit a reaction from people. She also mentioned that Torstenson frequently carries a large folding fan printed with a sexually explicit slur, and reportedly had both the fan and the megaphone at the October 14 event. "He holds the megaphone and then he claps the fan closed and open, and it’s very loud. So he can shake it open and closed, and it’s very, very loud and annoying," Barker described. She added, "He very much wants to incite people," and "When someone responds to his filth, he amps it up, and focuses on them." While Barker did not witness the specific exchange between the student and Torstenson, she believes the student reacted similarly to others at prior events, suggesting the young woman "didn’t know to ignore him."
Alpha News has previously reported on Torstenson's involvement in other protests that escalated into heated confrontations. Footage from a February incident shows police detaining him outside a Target store. Additionally, images posted on X reportedly show Torstenson shouting through a megaphone at a Target manager in Richfield.
The University of St. Thomas responded to the viral video four days before the student's apology was posted. The university condemned the language used in the video and initiated an investigation into the off-campus incident. A statement from the university affirmed that "The language heard in the video is inconsistent with the university’s values and convictions."
In her apology, the student expressed deep regret for her actions. "I want to sincerely apologize for my actions during the situation with the protesters," she wrote. "Regardless of the circumstances, I should have handled the situation with respect, and I take full responsibility for my behavior. I am truly sorry." She further stated, "I understand that my actions have consequences, and I take responsibility for that. I know I have a lot to learn from this experience, and I am committed to educating myself and better understanding how my words and actions affect others."
Alpha News posed two questions to the University of St. Thomas: whether administrators were aware of Torstenson’s reported behavior prior to the confrontation, and if the ongoing investigation would consider that context. The news outlet also inquired about measures the school was taking to protect the student from potential harassment, threats, or retaliation amidst the public attention. The university did not provide a response to either question. Protest organizers have announced a demonstration scheduled to occur on the St. Thomas campus later this week.
