Protesters, Trump supporters attend far right roast of Kamala Harris at USC

Russell House looked unusually hostile on Wednesday night.

Often brimming with students carrying textbooks and Chick-Fil-A bags, the University of South Carolina’s student union building on Greene Street was patrolled by state and local law enforcement officers. Metal barricades blocked the entrances, creating a winding path inside. It was in preparation of a “roast” of Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, which featured two far-right personalities with a history of hateful public rhetoric.

Uncensored America, a student organization that claims to be a nonpartisan, nonprofit fighting for freedom of speech, hosted the event, with guests Gavin McInnes and Milo Yiannopoulos.

McInnes, a writer and talk show host, is a founder of the Proud Boys, which the Southern Poverty Law Center has labeled a hate group. He resigned from the group in 2018, Reuters reported, but remains deeply involved. Yiannopoulos, a right-wing media personality once nicknamed the “pop star of hate,” is known for his misogynistic, racist, xenophobic and transphobic views.

The event had been widely criticized by university, state government, and civic leaders since plans became public last month. The “roast” prompted USC leaders to organize an alternative event a few blocks away at the athletic fields next to the Sol Blatt physical education building.

Students and community members began filing into a Russell House ballroom around 7 p.m. Some donned campaign gear for former President Donald Trump. One man had a “Let’s go Brandon” t-shirt, a popular slogan among opponents of President Joe Biden. One woman wore clothing supporting Palestine.

When McInnes took the stage around 8:30 p.m., nearly all the chairs were full — about 180 were in attendance, not including media, police and university employees. Hecklers periodically yelled at the stage, some with insults and others with praise. A number of students walked out in protest telling the hosts to “get a f------ life.” By the time Yiannopoulos finished speaking around 10 p.m., the ballroom was about half full.

For an hour and a half, McInnes bashed, in a profanity-laced presentation, Harris and questioned her racial identity, her policies, and how she earned her success. He said he gave “gave up the n word” but wouldn’t give up other slurs. Yiannopoulos spent most of his time listing which members of USC faculty and the USC student senate he intended to sue while insulting them, and asked “what the f--- is a Gamecock?”

Last week, the USC student senate denied Uncensored America some $3,500, USC’s student newspaper reported. On Wednesday the student group announced it planned to sue the university over the denied funding.

However, the student senate did approve a proposal to increase campus safety during the event. When McInnes and fellow far-right figure Alex Stein was set to visit Pennsylvania State University, it was canceled due to “threats of escalating violence,” according to the Centre Daily Times.

Wednesday’s event at Russell House did result in violence.

“We intended just to have a fun comedy event about some things, maybe get some ideas that people don’t usually hear, don’t seek out, to listen to an alternate opinion,” Brendan Connors, the president of USC’s Uncensored America chapter, told The State. “We’re hoping that people were able to come and have fun, even if they disagreed.”

Connors said he felt the event was a success.

Trav Robertson, former chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party, attended the event. He called the event “vulgar.”

“I am just so overwhelmingly saddened and disappointed,” Robertson said. “It was wholly inappropriate to allow (McInnes and Yiannopoulos) to be here tonight. I think every Democratic legislator ought to be looking at cutting funding for the university.”

Outside of the Russell House, about 20 to 30 demonstrators held signs including “Make Facists Afraid” and “Not on our campus - not anywhere.” They spoke to students on campus milling around the student center.

“I have a great affinity for the city, and I have a direct interest in maintaining it as a healthy and safe place to live, particularly for the LGBTQ community, and that is somebody that, or a group of people that, are being pretty directly targeted by Milo Yiannapoulos and Gavin McInnes,” said Enid, a 26-year-old demonstrator who works in cybersecurity who declined to give her last name.

The conversations appeared civil even if people had different political views. The scene was calm as the “roast” began, even as a helicopter flew above campus.

“We don’t think hate speech has any place on this campus,” said Houston Hackett, a sophomore at USC.

Across campus, the school’s student government, Residential Hall Association and Carolina Productions hosted Blatt Bonanza as an alternative event with free food, a DJ, inflatable obstacle courses and other activities.

“This will absolutely set the tone that this university is the University of South Carolina, and this is what we stand for. We stand for things like this in school unity,” said Will Dorrah, the president of the Residence Hall Association.

More than 1,500 students attended the event at Blatt, a university spokesman said.

“It’s more so an event for our students to have a free and open space. So we’re not here in the message business,” said Patton Byars, USC’S student body president. “We’re here in the serving students business, and that’s why we have so many students here, because they know that we’re serving them for free on this campus every single day, and this day is no exception.”

When Uncensored America announced plans for the event, it drew immediate criticism.

Courtney McClain, a USC alumna and campus activist, created a petition calling for the event’s cancellation. More than 27,000 people signed it.

Days later, USC leaders released a statement condemning the “the vile and juvenile rhetoric” used to promote the event. But they also explained that as a public institution, the university is required to allow the event, citing students’ freedom of speech and open dialogue. The event was not endorsed by USC, however.

“We remain steadfast in safeguarding the First Amendment rights of our students, even when we may be offended by their choices and statements,” USC President Michael Amiridis and university board chair Thad Westbrook wrote. “Censoring even the most hateful individuals and groups does not solve the problems we face in our society, and instead provides them with a platform to win more publicity and support.”

The NAACP wrote to Amiridis, arguing the event violated university policy, and the promotional materials violated South Carolina’s laws against obscenity.

“Hate speech has long served as a weapon to undermine the progress of our nation,” national NAACP CEO Derrick Johnson said in a statement. “If (USC)‘s leadership values their Black students, it’s only right they shut this event down. Our nation’s schools must remain havens for learning, not platforms for hate. It is imperative that the university takes swift action in this matter and protects the campus community from patterns of divisiveness and degradation.”

More than 20 multicultural student groups at the university also signed a statement spurning the roast. The groups cited the Carolinian Creed, established as a statement of the university’s values in 1990, which asks community members to respect the “dignity of all persons” and “discourage bigotry.”

“As students and leaders at the University of South Carolina, we are disheartened by the university’s consent in allowing a platform for individuals who peddle hate speech and conspiracies that promote violence against our communities,” the statement read.

State Rep. Leon Howard state Sen. Tameika Isaac Devine, both Richland County Democrats; attorney and former state Rep. Bakari Sellers, and the South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus, among others, were very vocal in their disdain. They criticized the university for providing a platform for potential hatred and violence and called on the university to cancel or reconsider the event.

“I want to express our profound outrage and deep concern,” said state Rep. Ivory Thigpen, D-Richland, chair of the Black Caucus. “While we fully support the First Amendment, this event poses serious risks by exposing students to hate speech and creating a hostile environment — something we cannot remain silent about.”