News

Actions

University of Florida makes last minute preparations for white nationalist speech

Posted at 6:50 AM, Oct 19, 2017
and last updated 2017-10-19 06:55:44-04

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- White nationalist Richard Spencer is scheduled to speak at the University of Florida at 2:30 p.m. Thursday.

Local and federal officials expect protests, and worry things could get out of control.

Spencer is the president of the National Policy Institute, a white nationalist group.  He is also the president of website altright.com.

His speeches have sparked protests before, including in Charlottesville, Virginia in August, where one woman died.

The University is spending more than a half-million dollars on security to make sure everything, and everyone, stays safe.  Spencer’s group only has to cover just over $10,000 of that cost.

The school says the law requires it to let Spencer speak on campus, but suggests everyone stay away from the event.