Non-profit Turning Point USA held an event at the University of Nevada Reno, sparking several protests on campus Monday night.
Turning Point USA is a non-profit organization that focuses its resources on college campuses. To date, the organization is present at 1,400 colleges. It was founded by Charlie Kirk in June of 2014.
Kirk is a well-known conservative activist. He said his organization's mission is to educate students about the importance of fiscal responsibility, free markets, and limited government.
On Monday, Kirk kicked off a nationwide speaking tour called Culture War, at UNR. He says the purpose of the tour is to provide a place for ideas to be expressed and heard.
During Culture War Kirk opens up a discussion where people can share their political opinions. At the event, people form a line to give him their two cents, and it is then followed by his response. Kirk even encourages anyone who disagrees with him to come to the front of the line.
"The way a mature civil society is able to no digress into... I would say chaos is to have conversations, tough conversations and we try to allow forums for that," said Kirk.
Several people, both students and staff gathered at different areas of campus to protest both inside and outside the building. Some protesters were escorted out of the venue after several outbursts occurred during Kirk's event.
The conservative activist said, "I can't speak for the motivations of people that interrupt. However, I will say that, far too often there is a movement amongst the radical left that embraces disruption of public events and this was exhibited most visibly and most frequently during the Kavanaugh hearings last October, where I think there was like 100+ interruptions at that hearing. This is not anything new. I've experienced it plenty, I will say that this is the most I've been interrupted. So that is a record; congratulations University of Nevada, Reno. But I do think that this was somewhat coordinated. I think they all decided to go at different times. This didn't look spontaneous. I could be wrong, but the signs and the chants and that flags, shows that there was some form of... dare I say collusion between the different groups."
Protesters say Kirk promotes White Nationalism and that his presence on campus can only hurt the University culture.
Student Stephen Zipkin says, "Charlie Kirk being in town is extensively one of the motives for our protests. You know, it's a time where, it's one of the times where the problems we're discussing are a little more visible. Right. We have a racist speaker on campus."
"As faculty we're here together to support students who are here to protest the growing impacts of White Nationalism on our campus, which have been especially represented this evening by the presence of Charlie Kirk and Turning Point USA. And we're here to stand with them against White Nationalism, against racism, against bigotry of all forms, against homophobia, sexism, transphobia, anti-sematic, anti-Muslim sentimates that have been kicked up and been very present, impacting our campus climate as well," said Emily Hobson who is an Associate Professor of History and Gender, Race, and Identity at UNR.
Hobson continued to say that faculty composed an open letter addressed to the University President, Marc Johnson. The letter states concerns that students are not being given equal application to free speech in regards to anti-racists messages.
Hobson said, "Despite President Johnson's stated concern, over an opposition to acts of racism and other forms of bigotry, we see that the administration is not doing enough and we're really here to stand with students to make the action that the University is not doing."
Kirk firmly denied all claims of supporting White Nationalism. "I've been protested before people have a right to their own expression. I appreciate them celebrating the First Amendment tonight. People have a right to be wrong. I believe they are very wrong about me. In fact, I know they're wrong about me. But for those people that did go in line and did wait respectfully they deserve to be commended. But I think the more we can do that, the more we can highlight that, the better," said Kirk.
Though Kirk's presence motivated Monday night's protest, students and faculty say they are protesting against much broader issues they consider to be unresolved.
"We're here because we want things to change. The University as a whole. We want the University's climate to change.I want to be here and no longer think that my being Jewish is going to affect my safety," said Zipkin.
