Pennsylvania professor apologies for praising Luigi Mangione on TikTok. ‘Regretful’
An assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania has issued an apology after praising Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing the CEO of UnitedHealthcare.
In a series of social media posts on TikTok and Instagram, Julia Alekseyeva appeared to celebrate Mangione, who was arrested Monday, Dec. 9.
Alekseyeva is an assistant professor of English and cinema and media studies at the University of Pennsylvania.
“Have never been prouder to be a professor at the University of P3nnsylvania,” she said in a TikTok before deleting her page, according to a conservative account on X, formerly Twitter. Mangione reportedly attended the Ivy League school in Philadelphia.
On her Instagram story, Alekseyeva also shared a post about Mangione, which referred to him as “the icon we all need and deserve,” The Daily Pennsylvanian reported.
Alekseyeva said on X her posts were “completely insensitive and inappropriate.”
“I retract them wholly,” she said on Dec. 10. “I do not condone violence and I am genuinely regretful of any harm the posts have caused.”
Jeffrey Kallberg, Penn’s deputy dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, said in a statement to multiple outlets that the professor’s comments were met with “much concern.”
“Her comments regarding the shooting of Brian Thompson in New York City were antithetical to the values of both the School of Arts and Sciences and the University of Pennsylvania, and they were not condoned by the school or the university,” Kallberg said, according to WCAU. “Upon reflection, assistant professor Alekseyeva has concurred that the comments were insensitive and inappropriate and has retracted them. We welcome this correction and regret any dismay or concern this may have caused.”
Mangione is accused of killing Thompson on Dec. 4 in New York City. He was arrested six days later at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, and has been charged with murder.
Hours after Mangione’s arrest, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro referred to him as “a coward (and) not a hero,” WTXF reported.
This story was originally published December 12, 2024 at 9:21 AM with the headline "Pennsylvania professor apologies for praising Luigi Mangione on TikTok. ‘Regretful’."