A Penn State student group had invited Gavin McInnes, the founder of far-right extremist group Proud Boys, to speak on campus. The invitation sparked intense opposition, leading to an abrupt cancellation of the event.
The university initially had resisted calls to cancel the event sponsored by a student group, citing the importance of upholding free-speech rights. But officials said escalating violence caused them to cancel the Monday event shortly before it was due to begin. The combination of agitated demonstrators, at least one physical altercation, a crowd surge toward the event venue, and chemical spray from both the crowd and police officers led to the decision, Penn State officials said.
Daryle Lamont Jenkins, a veteran anti-fascist organizer who leads the hate-tracking group One People’s Project, attended the protest and said none of the aggression came from demonstrators. In a statement, Uncensored America said the organization always encouraged people to be peaceful and condemns all violence. “Sadly, attendees were intimidated by violent protests and could not enter the venue safely,” the organization said.Miller, of the SPLC, said the event was part of a broader far-right extremist playbook that seeks to use universities as a place to legitimize and normalize harmful ideas.
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