GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The University of Florida’s president is urging students to stay away from a speaking event on campus featuring white nationalist Richard Spencer.
President Kent Fuchs wrote in an email Tuesday that Spencer and his group seek only “to provoke a reaction” at their Oct. 19 event. Fuchs says “shunning” Spencer would limit any further attention.
Fuchs also asked students to speak out against Spencer’s message of “hate and racism.”
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UF says it expects to spend $500,000 on security for the event, including costs of police.
The university stated it will not be affiliated with the event in any way, but as a public institution, it is legally obligated to allow the expression of many viewpoints by external groups, such as Spencer’s National Policy Institute.