A speech by Tom Tancredo at UNC-Chapel Hill ended prematurely Tuesday.
Hundreds of protesters converged on Bingham Hall, shutting down a speech by the former Colorado congressman opposing in-state tuition benefits to illegal immigrants.
Campus police released pepper spray and threatened to Taser a student, while a protester pounded a window of the classroom until the glass shattered.
Tancredo had been brought to campus by the local chapter of Youth for Western Civilization., a national organization whose members oppose mass immigration, multiculturalism and affirmative action.
Campus police removed two women who stretched a banner across the classroom that read "No dialogue with hate." Other students screamed curses at Tancredo and the campus president of Youth for Western Civilization.
Chancellor Holden Thorp said he was "disappointed" that Tancredo was not able to speak. (N&O)
Blog RSS feed
Re: Tancredo unable to speak at UNC
The blame lies not in Chapel Hill but with Mr. Tancredo!
He should never have agreed to go to Chapel Hill to present his "ideas!" The free exchange of ideas has never been Chapel Hill's strong suit. They already have all the right ideas and certainly don't need an outside agitator coming to town to present the wrong ideas.
Give me a break! It was all Tancredo's fault. Free speech is an outdated concept which has been replaced by "change and hope."