SPEAKER SHOUTED DOWN, CALLED “NAZI,” THEN ARRESTED
by Sharon Rondeau
(Nov. 28, 2017) — At the state of Connecticut’s flagship university on Tuesday evening, Gateway Pundit journalist and commentator Lucian Wintrich was shouted down by the students attending his scheduled speech sponsored by the University of Connecticut College Republicans.
Wintrich’s speech was titled, “It’s OK to be white.”
Major media in both Connecticut and out-of state termed Wintrich as representing “the ultra conservative website Gateway Pundit” or as a “far right commentator.”
According to a Texas CBS affiliate prior to the event, “University of Connecticut police say they are taking measures to ensure public safety.”
In video footage posted by GP, Wintrich is seen shouting as the students in attendance became louder and louder. There was some interaction, however, between the audience and Wintrich in the form of clapping and laughter.
Later, “Amar” posted to the Twitter feed of The Daily Campus, UConn’s student newspaper, that Wintrich’s speech had been “forcibly ended.”
The Daily Campus retweeted Amar’s tweet and posted it on its website, although as of press time, no formal report of the incident has been posted.
As of 9:40 p.m. EST, WSMV in Nashville, TN reported that “an altercation” arose between Wintrich and a student in which “Wintrich appeared to attack a UConn student during the speech after she took something off the podium.”
WTNH in New Haven, CT wrote that “windows were broken amid the chaos and that officers arrested Wintrich for allegedly assaulting a student” and provided photos. Wintrich was also called a “Nazi” by chanting students.
“During the speech, a fight broke out and officers removed Wintrich from the room,” the station additionally reported.
In a statement issued prior to the commencing of Wintrich’s address, UConn spokeswoman Stephanie Reitz said:
Free speech, like academic freedom, is one of the university’s bedrock principles. That being said, a particular speaker’s or group’s presence on campus doesn’t indicate UConn’s endorsement of the presenter or their message. Any student group is free to reserve on-campus space for a speaker or other program as long as the event adheres to UConn’s guidelines, which apply to all student groups and on-campus programming,
After police removed Wintrich from the auditorium, it appeared that students celebrated. It then appeared that one followed the officers out of the room, possibly accosting him.
Tuition for in-state UConn students living on-campus is currently $30,562; for out-of-state students, it is $52,630. A 123-day budget impasse recently resolved within the state legislature and signed by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy occurred partially over disagreement over proposed cuts to UConn’s allotment.
On its 10:00 p.m. broadcast, Fox 61 reported the incident.