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UF Denies White Nationalist Request To Speak

WFSU | By Jim Ash
Published August 16, 2017 at 10:40 AM EDT
White nationalist Richard Spencer wants to appear next month on the University of Florida campus, but UF President Kent Fuchs has denied a formal request by Spencer's National Policy Institute.
White nationalist Richard Spencer wants to appear next month on the University of Florida campus, but UF President Kent Fuchs has denied a formal request by Spencer's National Policy Institute.

The University of Florida is denying white nationalist Richard Spencer’s request to appear on the Gainesville campus next month, citing the deadly violence at a similar rally last week in Virginia.

White nationalist Richard Spencer wants to appear next month on the University of Florida campus, but UF President Kent Fuchs has denied a formal request by Spencer's National Policy Institute.
White nationalist Richard Spencer wants to appear next month on the University of Florida campus, but UF President Kent Fuchs has denied a formal request by Spencer's National Policy Institute.

After consulting with state police and Governor Rick Scott, UF President Kent Fuchs decided safety concerns outweigh free speech rights, says spokeswoman Janine Sikes.

“We’re very concerned about violence in Gainesville, particularly when there are so many online and social media posts about the next battle field being in Florida.”

Scott did not urge Fuchs to ban Spencer, but pledged to supporter whatever he decided, Sikes says. Scott, a term-limited Republican and strong supporter of President Donald Trump, is widely believed to be running for the U.S. Senate next year.

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Jim Ash
Jim Ash is a reporter at WFSU-FM. A Miami native, he is an award-winning journalist with more than 20 years of experience, most of it in print. He has been a member of the Florida Capital Press Corps since 1992.
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