A Republican politician's social media post appearing to target Indian and South Asian students in Texas has caused a firestorm of criticism over alleged racism. Bo French, the Republican nominee for Texas Railroad Commissioner, on Sunday (Sep 13) posted a photo of University of Texas students celebrating a sports victory, with a caption that appeared provocative to some people. The photo mostly showed non-white students celebrating the Longhorns’ win over Ohio State the previous night.&nbsp;<h2>What Bo French said in his now-controversial post</h2>“I heard UT graduation this year looked like this. I didn’t believe it. The problem is now obviously far worse than anyone imagined,” French wrote in the post along with the photo. Referring to the celebration in the stands, French also remarked that it showed “how many Americans have been displaced by foreigners”.&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I heard UT graduation this year looked like this. I didn’t believe it. The problem is now obviously far worse than anyone imagined. <a href="https://t.co/Ys1bql0y4U">pic.twitter.com/Ys1bql0y4U</a>&mdash; Bo French (@bofrench) <a href="https://x.com/bofrench/status/2099118916282810552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“I weep for the families in Texas who can’t get into UT because they prioritise foreigners over Texans,” he added.Texas institutions, he claimed, were “overrun by illegal aliens and foreign nationals”.<h2>Why is Bo French’s post being criticised, and that too by fellow Republicans?</h2>Media reports said the students in the photo appeared to be of South Asian or Indian descent. Texas has a large Asian American population of around 1.9 million, including more than 450,000 Indian Americans. Texas residents make up 80.5 per cent of the University of Texas at Austin’s student community, while international students account for less than 10 per cent. For automatic admissions to public universities, Texas law mandates that eligible Texas high school graduates be prioritised under the state’s top-performer admissions system.Interestingly, it was fellow Republicans who came out to criticise the message in French’s post.Senator John Cornyn said: “This is the Republican nominee for statewide office. Are other Republican elected officials going to condemn the intolerance and racism, or look the other way while it becomes normalised. This is how great political parties self-destruct. Sad.”Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who is also a Republican, distanced himself from French, saying: “That is not my message.”He said the picture of Longhorn fans actually showed a way that Texans unite. “We all support our college football teams,” he said.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/non-sensical-drivel-mr-singh-poster-on-illegal-drivers-removed-by-us-agency-without-apology-after-online-backlash-over-alleged-racism-1789104648864">'Non-sensical drivel': ‘Mr Singh’ poster on illegal drivers removed by US agency WITHOUT APOLOGY after online backlash over alleged racism</a>&nbsp;At the same time, Abbott added that unity does not prevent Texas from having some of the toughest immigration laws and called for “freezing H1B visas at our universities”.State Representative Lacey Hull, also a Republican, urged the deletion of the post, saying: “This post breaks my heart. I see college kids cheering on their football team. I see Texans.”Calling the post “racist”, State Representative Jared Patterson said: “There is absolutely nothing Christian or conservative about looking at a crowd of young Texans at a college football game, seeing the color of their skin, and declaring that they are a ‘problem.’ These are 20-year-old kids cheering for their university — not political props and not targets for racial attacks.”Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows said: “You can oppose immigration policy without demeaning people because of their race or ethnicity — this post has crossed the line.”State Representative Jeff Leach posted a photo of his son with ethnically diverse classmates at the game, calling French’s view racist.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/are-you-from-india-trump-s-dig-at-indian-journalist-s-triggers-racism-debate-video-1780722105294">'Are you from India?': Trump's dig at Indian journalist triggers racism debate - VIDEO</a><h2>Indian American groups react sharply</h2>The Indian American Advocacy Council unequivocally condemned Bo French’s “disgusting racist attack on brown students” at the University of Texas.“He looked at a photograph of brown students cheering for their university and immediately decided they were ‘foreigners’. That is racism,” the group said.The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) also called for elected leaders to condemn the rhetoric, noting concerns over anti-Indian and anti-Hindu hatred.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-impact-rubio-faces-tough-question-on-racism-1779731180817/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-impact-rubio-faces-tough-question-on-racism-1779731180817/embed</a><h2>French has a history of controversial posts</h2>French stuck to his guns, calling his critics RINOs, or “Republicans in Name Only”, and “America Last” figures, in contrast to President Donald Trump’s “America First” messaging. He did not delete the offending post.French, whose full name is Richard West “Bo” French, has a history of controversial posts. In the past, he has posted remarks targeting Muslims and Native Americans.French comes from a long-established Texas oil family.He is seeking the Republican nomination for Texas Railroad Commissioner, a statewide elected office that oversees the state’s oil and gas industry.

Texas Republican Bo French faced backlash from both his party leaders and Indian and South Asian Americans over a post targeting ‘foreigner’ students at the University of Texas. Here is what happened

A Republican politician's social media post appearing to target Indian and South Asian students in Texas has caused a firestorm of criticism over alleged racism. Bo French, the Republican nominee for Texas Railroad Commissioner, on Sunday (Sep 13) posted a photo of University of Texas students celebrating a sports victory, with a caption that appeared provocative to some people. The photo mostly showed non-white students celebrating the Longhorns’ win over Ohio State the previous night. What Bo French said in his now-controversial post “I heard UT graduation this year looked like this. I didn’t believe it. The problem is now obviously far worse than anyone imagined,” French wrote in the post along with the photo. Referring to the celebration in the stands, French also remarked that it showed “how many Americans have been displaced by foreigners”.

Texas Republican Bo French faced backlash from both his party leaders and Indian and South Asian Americans over a post targeting ‘foreigner’ students at the University of Texas. Here is what happened

Indian Americans, fellow Republicans react sharply to Bo French’s post targeting 'foreigner' students in Texas

A video showing an Indian couple facing a racist confrontation in the United States has triggered widespread outrage online. The clip, which has been circulating across social media platforms, shows a man sitting inside a car questioning the couple about their nationality before asking them to leave the country.&nbsp;&nbsp;While the exact location of the incident has not been independently verified, the video has once again sparked debate around racism and xenophobia faced by immigrants abroad.&nbsp;In the video, the man first asks the couple whether they are from India and then questions if India is better than the United States. Responding calmly, the Indian man says both countries have “plus points” and mentions that their family lives in India.&nbsp;The stranger then asks why they are staying in the US if they believe India is good.When the couple explains that they are in the country “to explore the world,” the man becomes aggressive and says, “No, we don't want you here. You have to go home. Get the f*** out of my country.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">I encountered some incredible H-1B indians, and I had to let them know something! <a href="https://t.co/Qi8FyfcjzF">pic.twitter.com/Qi8FyfcjzF</a>&mdash; tone (@AyTone4th) <a href="https://x.com/AyTone4th/status/2057130312639860940?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Despite the hostile comments, the couple remains composed throughout the exchange, with the video drawing support for their calm response online.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-intent-on-making-deal-trump-says-as-white-house-labels-tehran-report-on-draft-agreement-complete-fabrication-1779900971950">‘Iran intent on making deal’: Trump says nobody will control Hormuz, it's international waters</a>&nbsp;The verified social media account that shared the video reportedly belongs to a music producer who has previously uploaded clips mocking Indians, including content filmed inside an Indian restaurant.&nbsp;Several users on social media also tagged Marco Rubio in posts related to the incident. Rubio had recently concluded a visit to India, during which he was asked about increasing reports of racist behaviour targeting Indians in the US.&nbsp;Responding to a question from reporters, Rubio had said that “every country has its stupid people” and added that such incidents were not limited to one nation.&nbsp;“People say stupid stuff all the time on social media and in every country in the world, unfortunately,” he said.

While the couple responded calmly to the questions, the stranger reacted aggressively, saying, “No, we don't want you here. You have to go home.”

A video showing an Indian couple facing a racist confrontation in the United States has triggered widespread outrage online. The clip, which has been circulating across social media platforms, shows a man sitting inside a car questioning the couple about their nationality before asking them to leave the country. While the exact location of the incident has not been independently verified, the video has once again sparked debate around racism and xenophobia faced by immigrants abroad. In the video, the man first asks the couple whether they are from India and then questions if India is better than the United States. Responding calmly, the Indian man says both countries have “plus points” and mentions that their family lives in India. The stranger then asks why they are staying in the US if they believe India is good. When the couple explains that they are in the country “to explore the world,” the man becomes aggressive and says, “No, we don't want you here. You have to go home. Get the f*** out of my country.”

While the couple responded calmly to the questions, the stranger reacted aggressively, saying, “No, we don't want you here. You have to go home.”

‘We don’t want you here’: Racist confrontation with Indian couple in US goes viral | Video

The US State Department deleted a social media post featuring a question from WION over racist comments targeting Indians and Indian-Americans in the United States, hours after the exchange sparked widespread reactions online during Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to India.&nbsp;The deleted post on X had highlighted Rubio’s response to a question asked by WION correspondent Sidhant Sibal on racism against Indians during a joint press conference in New Delhi with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.&nbsp;The State Department post before deletion read: “REPORTER: There’s been a lot of racism coming from the US against Indians. What’s your response?&nbsp;SECRETARY RUBIO: I’m sure there are people who have made dumb comments because every country has stupid people. I’m sure there are stupid people here. I don’t know what else to tell you other than that the US is a very welcoming country. Our nation has been enriched by people who come to our country and become Americans, have assimilated into our way of life, and have contributed greatly.”&nbsp;Rubio made the remarks while addressing concerns over racist comments and online attacks targeting Indians and Indian-Americans in the US. The issue was raised during his four-day India visit, which is focused on strengthening bilateral ties between Washington and New Delhi.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-india-can-count-on-me-100-i-am-a-big-fan-of-pm-modi-says-trump-in-phone-call-at-delhi-event-1779642795192">‘India can count on me 100%. I am a big fan of PM Modi,‘ says Trump in phone call at Delhi event</a>&nbsp;Responding to the question, Rubio initially appeared cautious and said, “I don't know how to address that, but I'll take that very seriously... I'm sure there are people who have made comments online and other places because every country in the world has stupid people.”&nbsp;He added that “there are stupid people here, there are stupid people in the United States” who “make dumb comments all the time”.&nbsp;The US Secretary of State also stressed that the United States remains open to immigrants from around the world.&nbsp;“The United States is a very welcoming country. Our nation has been enriched by people who come to our country from all over the world, have become Americans, have assimilated into our way of life and have contributed greatly,” Rubio said.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is on a four-day visit to India, said that every country has people who make “dumb comments” and “stupid people,” adding that such individuals exist in the United States as well and stressing that the US remains a very welcoming country.

The US State Department deleted a social media post featuring a question from WION over racist comments targeting Indians and Indian-Americans in the United States, hours after the exchange sparked widespread reactions online during Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to India. The deleted post on X had highlighted Rubio’s response to a question asked by WION correspondent Sidhant Sibal on racism against Indians during a joint press conference in New Delhi with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. The State Department post before deletion read: “REPORTER: There’s been a lot of racism coming from the US against Indians. What’s your response? SECRETARY RUBIO: I’m sure there are people who have made dumb comments because every country has stupid people. I’m sure there are stupid people here. I don’t know what else to tell you other than that the US is a very welcoming country. Our nation has been enriched by people who come to our country and become Americans, have assimilated into our way of life, and have contributed greatly.” Rubio made the remarks while addressing concerns over racist comments and online attacks targeting Indians and Indian-Americans in the US. The issue was raised during his four-day India visit, which is focused on strengthening bilateral ties between Washington and New Delhi. Also Read: ‘India can count on me 100%. I am a big fan of PM Modi,‘ says Trump in phone call at Delhi event Responding to the question, Rubio initially appeared cautious and said, “I don't know how to address that, but I'll take that very seriously... I'm sure there are people who have made comments online and other places because every country in the world has stupid people.” He added that “there are stupid people here, there are stupid people in the United States” who “make dumb comments all the time”. The US Secretary of State also stressed that the United States remains open to immigrants from around the world. “The United States is a very welcoming country. Our nation has been enriched by people who come to our country from all over the world, have become Americans, have assimilated into our way of life and have contributed greatly,” Rubio said.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is on a four-day visit to India, said that every country has people who make “dumb comments” and “stupid people,” adding that such individuals exist in the United States as well and stressing that the US remains a very welcoming country.

US State Dept deletes X post featuring WION question to Rubio on racism against Indians

Elon Musk and his revamped form of Twitter, X, have been under fire in many countries over the social media platform’s rules relating to free speech. Countries like China, Russia and North Korea have long banned X in their countries over “misinformation”, and Brazil recently joined this list. While all these cases are exclusive to nations that have either banned or restricted the use of X, but company’s rules over what it considers “free speech” have always remained a point of contention.

Recently, an X account of an anonymous user named&nbsp;Barry Stanton started sharing racist posts about India, some of which were mere “misinformation” and blatant lies.&nbsp;

Barry Stanton’s X account used to frequently share derogatory cartoons and posts depicting Indians in a negative light. His posts aren’t just limited to Indians but also include hateful and abusive posts against Jews and Africans.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-what-is-symbiosexuality-a-new-sexual-phenomenon-forcing-experts-to-rethink-nature-of-attraction-755178">What is symbiosexuality? A new sexual phenomenon forcing experts to 'rethink nature of attraction'</a>

After the account started sharing a series of absolutely racist posts against Indians with zero substance, an online outrage by Indians led to the suspension of the account.&nbsp;

X suspended the account of anonymous user Barry Stanton with nearly 200,000 followers. The user impersonated himself to be a UK-based actor.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Kindly repost so that authorities can take immediate action: 
 
An email has been sent to <a href="https://twitter.com/AshwiniVaishnaw?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AshwiniVaishnaw</a> , <a href="https://twitter.com/MIB_India?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MIB_India</a> to withhold the account of Barry Stanton In India and one copy also has been sent to the UK high commission in India. 
 
Pehle isko legally pelenge usk baad iska… <a href="https://t.co/qaCyjuBmOX">pic.twitter.com/qaCyjuBmOX</a>
— Akshit Singh 🇮🇳 (@IndianSinghh) <a href="https://twitter.com/IndianSinghh/status/1829051546874867757?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

As per India Today, the user once praised a post on how to drive Indian nationals away from “white neighbourhoods.” 
 
Stanton’s account was reported to authorities by several Indian users, including Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Minister of Information and Broadcasting, and the Indian High Commission in the United Kingdom.

According to a 2017 report by British news website The New Statesman, the pictures on Stanton’s account were stolen from another man, a pensioner from Worcestershire.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-tech-company-launches-barbie-flip-phone-to-beat-teen-smartphone-addiction-753997">Tech company launches Barbie flip phone to beat teen smartphone addiction</a>

“Barry Stanton does not exist – or, not in the way Twitter users want to think he does. The account is a parody,” the report said.

Storyful’s UK Editor Kevin Donnellan followed @BarryStanton64 in an attempt to find out who he was. He then located the original Facebook page where “Barry” posted his photos.

It is safe to conclude that Barry Stanton is merely a fake identity that an anonymous troll uses to disseminate anti-Indian content. However, the question here is not about the user, but about the platform that allows such racist posts to flourish in the name of "free speech."

This is not the first time that such anti-India posts have surfaced on X. Many critics and netizens have seen these accounts sharing more racist content against Indians since Elon Musk took over X in 2022.&nbsp;

Earlier this month, controversial British YouTuber Miles Routledge received massive criticism after he made racist remarks targeting India on X and also threatened to use nuclear weapons against Indians if he became the PM of England.

(With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk and his revamped form of Twitter, X, have been under fire in many countries over the social media platform’s rules relating to free speech. Countries like China, Russia and North Korea have long banned X in their countries over “misinformation”, and Brazil recently joined this list.

Elon Musk and his revamped form of Twitter, X, have been under fire in many countries over the social media platform’s rules relating to free speech. Countries like China, Russia and North Korea have long banned X in their countries over “misinformation”, and Brazil recently joined this list. While all these cases are exclusive to nations that have either banned or restricted the use of X, but company’s rules over what it considers “free speech” have always remained a point of contention. Recently, an X account of an anonymous user named Barry Stanton started sharing racist posts about India, some of which were mere “misinformation” and blatant lies. Barry Stanton’s X account used to frequently share derogatory cartoons and posts depicting Indians in a negative light. His posts aren’t just limited to Indians but also include hateful and abusive posts against Jews and Africans. Also Read | What is symbiosexuality? A new sexual phenomenon forcing experts to 'rethink nature of attraction' After the account started sharing a series of absolutely racist posts against Indians with zero substance, an online outrage by Indians led to the suspension of the account. X suspended the account of anonymous user Barry Stanton with nearly 200,000 followers. The user impersonated himself to be a UK-based actor. Kindly repost so that authorities can take immediate action: An email has been sent to @AshwiniVaishnaw , @MIB_India to withhold the account of Barry Stanton In India and one copy also has been sent to the UK high commission in India. Pehle isko legally pelenge usk baad iska… pic.twitter.com/qaCyjuBmOX — Akshit Singh 🇮🇳 (@IndianSinghh) August 29, 2024 × As per India Today, the user once praised a post on how to drive Indian nationals away from “white neighbourhoods.” Stanton’s account was reported to authorities by several Indian users, including Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Minister of Information and Broadcasting, and the Indian High Commission in the United Kingdom. According to a 2017 report by British news website The New Statesman, the pictures on Stanton’s account were stolen from another man, a pensioner from Worcestershire. Also Read | Tech company launches Barbie flip phone to beat teen smartphone addiction “Barry Stanton does not exist – or, not in the way Twitter users want to think he does. The account is a parody,” the report said. Storyful’s UK Editor Kevin Donnellan followed @BarryStanton64 in an attempt to find out who he was. He then located the original Facebook page where “Barry” posted his photos. It is safe to conclude that Barry Stanton is merely a fake identity that an anonymous troll uses to disseminate anti-Indian content. However, the question here is not about the user, but about the platform that allows such racist posts to flourish in the name of "free speech." This is not the first time that such anti-India posts have surfaced on X. Many critics and netizens have seen these accounts sharing more racist content against Indians since Elon Musk took over X in 2022. Earlier this month, controversial British YouTuber Miles Routledge received massive criticism after he made racist remarks targeting India on X and also threatened to use nuclear weapons against Indians if he became the PM of England. (With inputs from agencies)

Growing anti-India sentiment on X: User 'Barry Stanton' suspended after series of racist posts against Indians

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Indian Americans, fellow Republicans react sharply to Bo French’s post targeting 'foreigner' students in Texas

‘We don’t want you here’: Indian couple faces racist abuse in US | Video

US State Dept deletes X post on WION question to Rubio on racism against Indians

Growing anti-India sentiment on X: User 'Barry Stanton' suspended after series of racist posts against Indians