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University of Florida Braces for Richard Spencer University of Florida Braces for Richard Spencer
(35 minutes later)
Richard Spencer, a prominent white nationalist, is scheduled to speak at the University of Florida on Thursday, prompting an outcry over whether his views are protected speech, dividing the campus and putting law enforcement officials on high alert. Richard B. Spencer, a prominent white nationalist, is scheduled to speak at the University of Florida on Thursday, prompting an outcry over whether his views are protected speech, dividing the campus and putting law enforcement officials on high alert.
The university denied Mr. Spencer’s original request to speak on Sept. 12, citing the violent clashes in August between far-right demonstrators and counterprotesters in Charlottesville, Va., as well as threats on social media of a “blood bath” if the speech were allowed. But the university has since relented.The university denied Mr. Spencer’s original request to speak on Sept. 12, citing the violent clashes in August between far-right demonstrators and counterprotesters in Charlottesville, Va., as well as threats on social media of a “blood bath” if the speech were allowed. But the university has since relented.
On Monday, reacting to Mr. Spencer’s coming appearance, Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency in Alachua County in North Florida, where the university is. The order helps coordinate law enforcement from various jurisdictions. The governor also activated the National Guard, so it can be called if necessary.On Monday, reacting to Mr. Spencer’s coming appearance, Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency in Alachua County in North Florida, where the university is. The order helps coordinate law enforcement from various jurisdictions. The governor also activated the National Guard, so it can be called if necessary.
The University of Florida president, Kent Fuchs, posted a YouTube message denouncing Mr. Spencer’s “message of hate and racism,” and urging students to stay away from his event and deprive Mr. Spencer of the attention he seeks.The University of Florida president, Kent Fuchs, posted a YouTube message denouncing Mr. Spencer’s “message of hate and racism,” and urging students to stay away from his event and deprive Mr. Spencer of the attention he seeks.
Far-right rallies and the counterprotests they engender on the left have become a vexing problem for universities, especially public ones, which are struggling to balance their mission of promoting free speech and the exchange of ideas with their responsibility to keep students safe.Far-right rallies and the counterprotests they engender on the left have become a vexing problem for universities, especially public ones, which are struggling to balance their mission of promoting free speech and the exchange of ideas with their responsibility to keep students safe.
Mr. Spencer is the president of the National Policy Institute, which describes itself as “an independent research and educational foundation,” and has produced papers on issues like racial differences in intelligence and the crime rate among Hispanic immigrants.Mr. Spencer is the president of the National Policy Institute, which describes itself as “an independent research and educational foundation,” and has produced papers on issues like racial differences in intelligence and the crime rate among Hispanic immigrants.
He is credited with coining the term “alternative right,” or “alt-right,” almost a decade ago. He is the American editor of the website Altright.com.He is credited with coining the term “alternative right,” or “alt-right,” almost a decade ago. He is the American editor of the website Altright.com.
The Southern Poverty Law Center, which monitors hate groups, has called him “a suit-and-tie version of the white supremacists of old, a kind of professional racist in khakis,” though Mr. Spencer has denied that he is a white supremacist.The Southern Poverty Law Center, which monitors hate groups, has called him “a suit-and-tie version of the white supremacists of old, a kind of professional racist in khakis,” though Mr. Spencer has denied that he is a white supremacist.
After the presidential election, he saluted an audience of more than 200 at the National Policy Institute’s annual conference in Washington with the cry “Hail Trump, hail our people, hail victory!” In response, a number of his supporters gave the Nazi salute.After the presidential election, he saluted an audience of more than 200 at the National Policy Institute’s annual conference in Washington with the cry “Hail Trump, hail our people, hail victory!” In response, a number of his supporters gave the Nazi salute.
In May Mr. Spencer, a University of Virginia graduate, led a torch-bearing group in Charlottesville to a statue of Robert E. Lee, the confederate general, that the city wanted to remove. They chanted, “You will not replace us,” and “Blood and soil.” That dispute led to a bigger “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville in August, which erupted into street violence, leaving one woman dead when a car driven by a man associated with white supremacist groups plowed into a crowd.In May Mr. Spencer, a University of Virginia graduate, led a torch-bearing group in Charlottesville to a statue of Robert E. Lee, the confederate general, that the city wanted to remove. They chanted, “You will not replace us,” and “Blood and soil.” That dispute led to a bigger “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville in August, which erupted into street violence, leaving one woman dead when a car driven by a man associated with white supremacist groups plowed into a crowd.
Mr. Spencer appeared again in Charlottesville on Oct. 7 at a small torch-lit rally. He did not return a phone call seeking comment on his visit to the University of Florida.Mr. Spencer appeared again in Charlottesville on Oct. 7 at a small torch-lit rally. He did not return a phone call seeking comment on his visit to the University of Florida.
After the university denied Mr. Spencer’s original request, a local lawyer, Gary Edinger, threatened to sue on First Amendment grounds. Mr. Edinger, a First Amendment lawyer, said in an interview Tuesday that he had taken the case pro bono. His views do not match Mr. Spencer’s, he said, adding that he had voted for Bernie Sanders because he wanted a socialist for president.After the university denied Mr. Spencer’s original request, a local lawyer, Gary Edinger, threatened to sue on First Amendment grounds. Mr. Edinger, a First Amendment lawyer, said in an interview Tuesday that he had taken the case pro bono. His views do not match Mr. Spencer’s, he said, adding that he had voted for Bernie Sanders because he wanted a socialist for president.
The university responded to the lawsuit threat by saying that the ban was not supposed to be permanent, and then negotiated conditions of Mr. Spencer’s appearance with Mr. Edinger, said Janine Sikes, a spokeswoman for the university.The university responded to the lawsuit threat by saying that the ban was not supposed to be permanent, and then negotiated conditions of Mr. Spencer’s appearance with Mr. Edinger, said Janine Sikes, a spokeswoman for the university.
“Essentially the university opted to agree on a future date that gave us time to plan for safety and security, and certainly have some say in other factors leading to the event, making it during the daytime, for example,” Ms. Sikes said. Some colleges ask controversial speakers to appear during the day to make crowd control easier. “Essentially the university opted to agree on a future date that gave us time to plan for safety and security, and certainly have some say in other factors leading to the event, making it during the daytime, for example,” Ms. Sikes said. Some colleges ask polarizing speakers to appear during the day to make crowd control easier.
As a public institution, the University of Florida cannot choose speakers based on their point of view, First Amendment experts say.As a public institution, the University of Florida cannot choose speakers based on their point of view, First Amendment experts say.
“The University of Florida can’t say we like country music, but we don’t like alternative music — or in this case, we like diversity, but we don’t like Richard Spencer’s message,” Clay Calvert, a journalism professor and First Amendment expert at the university, said.“The University of Florida can’t say we like country music, but we don’t like alternative music — or in this case, we like diversity, but we don’t like Richard Spencer’s message,” Clay Calvert, a journalism professor and First Amendment expert at the university, said.
The university is obligated to protect Mr. Spencer from demonstrators exercising what is called “the heckler’s veto,” Mr. Calvert said. “That’s the idea that the First Amendment does not allow an audience of hostile reaction to silence the speaker.”The university is obligated to protect Mr. Spencer from demonstrators exercising what is called “the heckler’s veto,” Mr. Calvert said. “That’s the idea that the First Amendment does not allow an audience of hostile reaction to silence the speaker.”
The university said the security was expected to cost $500,000, far more than the $10,500 in rent it is receiving from Mr. Spencer’s group to rent space on campus. But the university said it could not legally pass the security costs on to the National Policy Institute. The university said that security was expected to cost $500,000, far more than the $10,500 it is receiving from Mr. Spencer’s group to rent space on campus. But the university said it could not legally pass the security costs on to the National Policy Institute.
Far-right activists and counterprotesters have clashed in or around other campuses, including the University of California, Berkeley, Evergreen State College in Washington State and the University of Virginia. The counterprotesters have often been led by Antifa, or anti-fascists, wearing black masks and sometimes wielding pepper spray and other weapons.Far-right activists and counterprotesters have clashed in or around other campuses, including the University of California, Berkeley, Evergreen State College in Washington State and the University of Virginia. The counterprotesters have often been led by Antifa, or anti-fascists, wearing black masks and sometimes wielding pepper spray and other weapons.
The Orlando Antifa has alerted followers to Mr. Spencer’s appearance at the University of Florida. It reacted to the announcement that the National Guard was being mobilized with a tweet, “Remember the last time the national guard was invited to a university campus? #NoNazisAtUF.” The message was accompanied by the famous photo of an anguished woman kneeling over the body of a Kent State University student shot dead by the National Guard while protesting the Vietnam War in 1970. The Orlando Antifa has alerted followers to Mr. Spencer’s appearance at the University of Florida. It reacted to the announcement that the National Guard was being mobilized with a tweet, “Remember the last time the national guard was invited to a university campus? #NoNazisAtUF.” The message was accompanied by the famous photo of an anguished woman kneeling over the body of a Kent State University student shot dead by the National Guard during a protest against the Vietnam War in 1970.
A group called No Nazis at UF has formed, consisting of students, community members and others, and about 90 of them marched to the administration building on Monday to protest Mr. Spencer’s appearance.A group called No Nazis at UF has formed, consisting of students, community members and others, and about 90 of them marched to the administration building on Monday to protest Mr. Spencer’s appearance.
“Peaceful protests are certainly welcome,” Ms. Sikes, the university spokeswoman, said. In a provision that may be aimed at Antifa as well as Antifa’s opponents, the police are banning torches, masks and anything that can be used as a weapon at the speech.“Peaceful protests are certainly welcome,” Ms. Sikes, the university spokeswoman, said. In a provision that may be aimed at Antifa as well as Antifa’s opponents, the police are banning torches, masks and anything that can be used as a weapon at the speech.
Mr. Spencer will be appearing at the school’s Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. A security checkpoint will be set up, and 700 tickets will be handed out there on a first-come, first-serve basis, according to altright.com, raising the possibility that many of those attending will be there to heckle him.Mr. Spencer will be appearing at the school’s Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. A security checkpoint will be set up, and 700 tickets will be handed out there on a first-come, first-serve basis, according to altright.com, raising the possibility that many of those attending will be there to heckle him.
Mr. Spencer’s requests to speak have been rejected by Pennsylvania State University, Michigan State, Louisiana State and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Soon after the Charlottesville violence, Texas A&M canceled his planned Sept. 11 appearance there. But the University of Cincinnati last week said that it would grant Mr. Spencer a venue, with the date to be determined.Mr. Spencer’s requests to speak have been rejected by Pennsylvania State University, Michigan State, Louisiana State and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Soon after the Charlottesville violence, Texas A&M canceled his planned Sept. 11 appearance there. But the University of Cincinnati last week said that it would grant Mr. Spencer a venue, with the date to be determined.
A lawsuit was filed on Mr. Spencer’s behalf against Michigan State. A similar lawsuit, against Auburn University, resulted in a federal judge’s ruling that he be allowed to speak there this past spring.A lawsuit was filed on Mr. Spencer’s behalf against Michigan State. A similar lawsuit, against Auburn University, resulted in a federal judge’s ruling that he be allowed to speak there this past spring.
Some universities have rules requiring that speakers be invited by a student or student group. But the University of Florida has no such requirement.Some universities have rules requiring that speakers be invited by a student or student group. But the University of Florida has no such requirement.
Although universities are now dealing with protests and violence surrounding speakers on the right, there have been other eras when speakers on the left were the target.Although universities are now dealing with protests and violence surrounding speakers on the right, there have been other eras when speakers on the left were the target.
There were protests against the University of Florida for allowing Abbie Hoffman, the Yippie leader and member of the Chicago Seven, to appear in 1970, Mr. Calvert said, and for letting a lieutenant of Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam, speak in the 1990s.There were protests against the University of Florida for allowing Abbie Hoffman, the Yippie leader and member of the Chicago Seven, to appear in 1970, Mr. Calvert said, and for letting a lieutenant of Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam, speak in the 1990s.
“It kind of shows the viewpoint neutrality of the First Amendment,” Mr. Calvert said. “You’ve got to take them all.”“It kind of shows the viewpoint neutrality of the First Amendment,” Mr. Calvert said. “You’ve got to take them all.”