Auburn University is on edge about a speech Tuesday night by white nationalist Richard Spencer, whose inflammatory comments about race and religion have sparked protests at other schools where he has appeared.
Citing safety concerns, the public university in eastern Alabama on Friday canceled a Spencer event that had been scheduled for Tuesday night.
Then, a federal judge on granted Spencer’s request for an injunction, effectively ordering Auburn to host his speaking event as originally scheduled.
A “While Mr. Spencer’s beliefs and message are controversial, Auburn presented no evidence that Mr. Spencer advocates violence,” U.S. District Court Judge W. Keith Watkins said in his ruling, noting that peaceable free speech is protected by the Constitution.
Several student protests were planned on campus for Tuesday evening. A crowd of several hundred had gathered on campus by early evening, monitored by dozens of police officers with police dogs.
Students told a CNN reporter that they witnessed a fistfight between a Spencer supporter and a protester. Police broke up the fight and arrested two men, they said.
The university issued a statement earlier in the day urging students and others to take precautions for their safety.
“In an effort to update the campus community regarding the recent cancellation of the Richard Spencer event, it is the university’s understanding that — despite our requests for him not to attend — Spencer may still appear on Auburn’s campus at some point today,” the statement said.
“While the university does not know the specifics of if and when this event might unfold, the safety and security of the campus remains our highest priority. Students, faculty, and staff should remain aware of their surroundings and report any unusual or threatening activity to the Auburn Police …”
Spencer, a leader of the so-called alt-right movement, had originally been scheduled to speak at Foy Hall on campus. He said his appearance was sponsored by AltRight.com, a white nationalist site. He paid $700 to rent the hall and an additional fee for security from the Auburn Police Department, according to The Plainsman, an Auburn student newspaper.
Last week, the university issued a statement that said in part, “We strongly deplore his views, which run counter to those of this institution. While his event isn’t affiliated with the university, Auburn supports the constitutional right to free speech.”
But two days later, the university said it was canceling Spencer’s visit “based on legitimate concerns and credible evidence that it will jeopardize the safety of students, faculty, staff and visitors.”
That same day, Spencer tweeted to his 56,000 followers, “We are flying people to Auburn and purchasing safety gear. We really need your help. I wouldn’t ask if it weren’t true.”
Spencer, 38, director of the white nationalist think tank National Policy Institute, has been a target for his radical beliefs. He has advocated a “peaceful ethnic cleansing,” where people who are not of European descent voluntarily leave the United States.
After President Donald Trump’s election victory last November, Spencer addressed a gathering of the alt-right movement at which he shouted “Hail Trump!” and audience members apparently gave Nazi salutes.
Protests greeted Spencer’s speech in December at Texas A&M University, where police reportedly had to stop rowdy audience members from charging the stage.
On the day of Trump’s inauguration, he was punched in the face by a masked assailant during an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
“They think they have shut this down, but they haven’t,” Spencer told The Plainsman last week. “I will give a speech on their campus. It is a public place. I think Auburn University is naive and has totally misunderstood who I am if they think that I am going to politely back out of this. I will be there 100 percent.”
Debates over free speech on college campuses have flared up in recent months after appearances by such controversial speakers as Charles Murray and Milo Yiannopoulos. A scheduled speech by Yiannopoulos sparked violent protests in February at the University of California-Berkeley.
One Auburn student sought to counter the tension over Spencer’s visit by holding an outdoor concert under the hashtag #AuburnUnites.
“We’re trying to block hate speech with music and positive ideas and unity,” said organizer Jakob Geiger, 19, a sophomore studying political science and English. “We think this is a more effective message to the outside and to our minority students. Our goal is to not be the next Berkeley.”