Organizers on behalf of white supremacist Richard Spencer may file a lawsuit against UF.
On Aug. 16, UF President Kent Fuchs said Spencer would not be allowed to speak at UF due to the threat of violence. On Wednesday night, UF received a letter from Gary Edinger, a lawyer for Cameron Padgett, Richard Spencer, and the National Policy Institute, detailing their intent to still come to UF.
Edinger wrote in the letter that if UF did not allow Spencer to speak, they would file a lawsuit within the next day or two.
A letter sent by UF's general counsel said they did not plan to permanently ban Spencer from campus, the Tampa Bay Times reports.
On Wednesday, UF spokesperson Janine Sikes said UF would defend its decision to disallow Spencer, according to Alligator archives. Fuchs sent out an email to the Student Body assuring UF wouldn’t waver.
“The First Amendment does not mean we have to suffer injury or death in pursuit of free speech,” Sikes said.
The National Policy Institute initially requested to reserve a space for Spencer to speak at UF on Sep. 12. Fuchs initially said they would allow him, despite denouncing his views, because of the First Amendment. After the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, and specific threats targeted toward Gainesville, Fuchs reconsidered.
The institute is now asking for UF to renegotiate and avoid court.
Spencer’s group successfully sued Auburn University in April when they denied him a permit to speak.
Edinger said his clients acknowledge that UF’s safety concerns, and his clients would coordinate with UF to arrange proper security.
With the potential of Spencer still coming, the student organization No Nazis at UF has remobilized. On Sept. 12, No Nazis at UF plans to hold a march and protest against white supremacy.
“We hope to show unity between community members, students and faculty and to show a sense of solidarity against fascism,” said a spokesperson for the No Nazis at UF group, who asked to remain anonymous for their safety.
The protest is set to be split into a red and green zone.
“If you want to be in the red zone, you will understand the dangers, you will be more in confrontation, more up close,” the spokesperson said.
The green zone is expected to be a safer, less confrontational area. The spokesperson acknowledged safety is their No. 1 priority, but there is no way to ensure the event will be safe.
Ever since Richard Spencer announced his intent to speak at UF, Akil Reynolds, a 20-year-old UF public health junior, has been concerned about his safety.
“It’s like there is this added pressure because of these people coming to this university,” he said. “And being someone who is a part of a systematically marginalized group like being black … I absolutely did not want (Spencer’s supporters) here,” Reynolds said.
Kaylee Kaestle contributed to this report.
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Richard Spencer
