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Despite Horowitz’s fears, protests remain peaceful

In response to controversial arguments against race reparations, students and activists gathered both inside and outside the School of Management last night to make a statement.

The argument at hand: free speech.

The man at the forefront of the controversy was Republican columnist David Horowitz, who addressed the issue of slavery reparations to a crowd of 400 at the behest of Boston University’s College Republicans.

While the protesters at this event did not raise the “violent commotion,” as he termed it, of his recent campus visit to the University of California at Berkeley, Horowitz had concerns about safety.

“We have a real security problem,” he said. “I think it’s a disgrace, and I hold the university administrations, including the one at BU, responsible.”

Prior to his speech, Horowitz expressed his concern that hostile protesters would voice their opposition and requested the University take action against those inciting conflict.

“If there is trouble, I hope that the students who cause trouble will be disciplined,” he said. “And I hope they find ways to keep the people causing trouble who are not part of this campus from obstructing speakers in the future.”

Horowitz was under the watchful eyes of three personal security guards throughout his visit. The guards were assisted by numerous Boston University Police Department officers, who guarded the entrances to the auditorium as well as the entire SMG building.

“It’s a sad day for America that I cannot go to a college campus without large security,” Horowitz said. “And that’s because the campus administrations have allowed fringe, leftist groups to intimidate students, faculty and speakers.”

Outside of the building, a group of six socialist protesters carried makeshift poster board signs, citing Horowitz as “Racist of the Year,” and a portable microphone to argue against Horowitz’s right to free speech.

“[We believe there should be] no free speech for racist ideas,” said Progressive Labor Party activist Chris Richardson. “It leads to racist actions.”

The protesters warned Horowitz’s words could lead to dangerous consequences, saying he was doing more than “debating polite views in a polite way.”

“Horowitz is a provocateur,” Richardson said. “He knows exactly what he’s doing, and he has thousands of dollars to do it. So we’re out here today to say this guy’s wrong and should be opposed.”

However, the group faced opposition in the approximately 50-person audience. One group of listeners began singing, John Lennon-style, “All we are saying is give speech a chance.”

“A fundamental principle of the Constitution is free press and free speech,” said College of Arts and Sciences freshman Yong Ma. “Despite the fact that we disagree with Horowitz does not mean he can’t speak his mind.”

While Horowitz’s attitude toward reparations for the descendants of slavery and oppression is unapologetic in nature, and some consider it racist, many said even racists deserve the right to free speech.

“I’ve never even heard of students actually speaking against free speech,” said CAS senior Michelle Currie.

Recently, a group of Brown University students did act out against the First Amendment. They illegally intercepted the distribution of their college paper in order to stop the printing of Horowitz’s controversial ad. The ad, also printed in The Daily Free Press, articulates each of Horowitz’s key arguments against reparations.

“I applaud what the Brown students did,” Richardson said. “We don’t have thousands of dollars to take out expensive ads. The main way we have is to get out on the streets.”

While University Professors freshman Ross Schneiderman found fault in Horowitz’s arguments, he also disagreed with Richardson.

“I didn’t agree with what the Brown students did,” he said. “A more effective way would have been to print an ad arguing against his points.”

Despite the mild opposition from the sidewalk audience, the Progressive Labor Party continued to trade off the microphone, attempting to convince the public that “free speech is a joke and [Horowitz] doesn’t deserve it.”

While protesters created a spectacle outside, the scene inside SMG remained busy for the major part of Horowitz’s lecture. Of the 200 people turned away from the event after the auditorium filled to capacity, many remained in the SMG lobby, talking and debating about free speech and the reparations issue, sometimes heatedly.

One sign within SMG’s lobby, reading “Signs and Posters Prohibited in the Auditorium,” was defaced to add the words “free speech” and “questions” above “Prohibited.”

Roughly 20 minutes into Horowitz’s speech, protesters outside packed up their signs and left the area. With the commotion dissipating, the on-looking crowd gradually dispersed as well. By the time the lecture cleared out, attendees left the auditorium without confrontation.

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