Saint Louis University campus police officers escorted a conservative speaker off campus on Tuesday while allowing leftist protesters to remain.
Young America’s Foundation (YAF) speaker Elisha Krauss was forced off of campus property, but remained on a public sidewalk just outside of the Catholic University where she continued her speaking event with fellow free speech activists.
“Proud to take a stand against the intolerant left who for two hours called me an old a**, a b***h, and a fascist,” Krauss told The Daily Wire’s Ian Haworth.
“I defend their rights to free speech the same as anyone else,” Krauss added. “Too bad they wouldn’t engage in a discussion or debate about political beliefs.”
BREAKING: Police at St. Louis University escorted YAF’s @ElishaKrauss free speech rally off of campus—but allowed leftist protestors to stay. pic.twitter.com/eu2z9jQPsr
— YAF (@yaf) May 3, 2022
The YAF noted that the move stood in stark contrast with the university’s treatment of a Black Lives Matter event at the same location.
“St. Louis University, which purports to be a Catholic university, escorted the YAF activists and Krauss from the center of campus––despite BLM protestors being allowed to host many protests in the same spot. The pro-abortion counter protestors were allowed to remain at the same location for an additional 20 minutes,” the YAF reported.
“The free speech demonstration was initiated after SLU refused to sign a contract for an official on-campus event featuring Krauss for four weeks. Krauss was scheduled to speak on the dangers on cancel culture,” the report added.
The YAF has tweeted that it plans to investigate the university’s double standard of denying free speech on its campus.
The double standards of the Left in FULL VIEW at this “Catholic” university. @SLU_Official @ElishaKrauss pic.twitter.com/X0R2jBJaXV
— YAF (@yaf) May 3, 2022
Nick Baker, chairman of SLU YAF, said the university’s behavior was shameful, according to YAF’s report.
“For a university that is ‘committed to freedom of expression,’ it is shameful that there are so many hurdles in place to prevent speakers from appearing on campus. Unfortunately, these tyrannical administrators have scared so many conservative students into hiding. Our YAF chapter is slowly but surely working to turn things around,” he said in a statement.
The leftist attack was not the first at Saint Louis University. In December, Daily Wire host Matt Walsh confronted scores of demonstrators protesting his lecture.
A crowd of anti-Walsh protesters demanded that The Daily Wire host and bestselling children’s book author cancel the event, a speech for students of St. Louis University. The protesters blocked a street immediately outside the venue and chanted slogans such as “Hey-hey, ho-ho, Matt Walsh has got to go!” and “black lives matter!”
At one point during the protest, Walsh walked out of the venue accompanied by law enforcement to speak with the protesters. The Daily Wire host was met with boos, chants, and one man screaming, “Do not come over here!” The crowd took several steps back as Walsh approached.
“I went out to say hi to my protesters and give them a chance to answer my ‘what is a woman’ question. They declined, it seems,” Walsh posted on Twitter with a video of the confrontation.
I went out to say hi to my protesters and give them a chance to answer my “what is a woman” question. They declined, it seems. pic.twitter.com/1qRzOPgod9
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) December 2, 2021