As we all witnessed less than two weeks ago from Daily Wire Editor-in-Chief Ben Shapiro’s appearance at the University of California, Berkeley, free speech for conservatives on college campuses is no longer free. It costs about $600,000 in security, actually.
This week, similar costly obstacles to free speech erected by leftists averse to differing viewpoints are popping up as Shapiro is set to speak at the University of Utah on Wednesday. In light of leftist student groups threatening to “shut down” the conservative, and the protests which have already been drawn in anticipation of the lecture, the campus is beefing up security and barring face masks, which are typically sported by violent Antifa thugs.
According to The Associated Press, the Salt Lake City campus “is barring face masks and planning a significant police presence” in preparation for Shapiro.
Chris Nelson, a university spokesman, says school officials are trying to keep both protesters and speech-goers safe without implementing a “police state,” notes the AP.
Yes, that’s right, in 2017 America, campuses have to try their best to avoid a “police state” just to ensure a mainstream conservative speaker can voice his views.
Sad stuff.
Shapiro has been plagued by leftists attempting to shut him up and maligning him as alt-right (never mind the conservative being a devout Orthodox Jew and number one target of the alt-right in 2016). At Shapiro’s California State University, Los Angeles, speech last year, for instance, students had to be sneaked through a back door due to the violent protesters blocking the entrance.
Because of the heavy police presence and the banning of weapons and masks at Berkeley two weeks ago, Shapiro was able to speak to his audience without pulled fire alarms, a near riot, or blocked entrances. But, still, nine protesters outside the event were arrested.