Florida Students Confront Spencer

http://solidarity-us.org/atc/192/p5173/
Date Written:  2018-01-01
Publisher:  Against the Current
Year Published:  2018
Resource Type:  Article
Cx Number:  CX23307

Aliya recounts her experience protesting the Richard Spencer event at the University of Florida.

Abstract: 
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Excerpts:

This wasn't about keeping us safe. It was all theater. There was nothing dangerous about my jacket or my microphone or first aid equipment. But there was clearly something very wrong with our being there to protest. The lengths we had to go through to coordinate rides and even get to this part of campus was all intended to disrupt any plans to organize.

If law enforcement's objective was to keep students safe, that objective was muddied completely when they confronted one of our interns in line for the Richard Spencer event because his crutches were "prohibited items." He explained to the officer that he couldn’t walk without them, but police summarily picked him up and carried him away.

Safeguarding this event took precendence over this student's right to attend it. His freedom of speech was suppressed because of something he had no control over. Our safety and certainly our First Amendment rights were of no concern to law enforcement that day.

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