UCLA Lets Protesters Shut Down Speaker, Threatens Conservatives Who Call It Out
UCLA's Federalist Society hosted a DHS official whose speech was disrupted by over 150 protesters, preventing a planned Q&A session. Instead of disciplining the protesters, university administrators warned the conservative group against publicly identifying them, citing potential harassment claims. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) criticized the university for threatening free speech and highlighted a double standard, as protesters had already targeted conservative students online without consequence.
- ▪DHS General Counsel James Percival was shouted down by protesters at a UCLA Federalist Society event on April 21, 2026, preventing an audience Q&A.
- ▪UCLA administrator Bayrex Martí warned Federalist Society leaders not to publicly name disruptive students, threatening campus discipline if harassment resulted.
- ▪The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) condemned UCLA's response as a violation of First Amendment rights and noted the administration took no action against protesters who mocked conservative students online.
- ▪Protesters used coordinated tactics including loud noises, profane signs, and chants, effectively silencing the speaker before the event formally began.
- ▪UCLA Law Dean Michael Waterstone acknowledged some protesters were removed but emphasized the importance of civil discourse without addressing the threat to the student group.
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UCLA Lets Protesters Shut Down Speaker, Threatens Conservatives Who Call It Out By Ben Smith | 10:00 AM on April 30, 2026 The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of RedState.com. AP Photo/Jae C. Hong UCLA's School of Law let student protesters shout down a senior federal official, then threatened the conservative group that invited him with campus discipline for talking about it publicly. Advertisement googletag.cmd.push(function () { googletag.display("div-gpt-300x250_2"); //googletag.pubads().refresh([gptAdSlot["div-gpt-300x250_2"]]) }); The controversy began on April 21, when the UCLA Federalist Society hosted DHS General Counsel James Percival for an event titled "Inside DHS: A Conversation with General Counsel." Percival took…
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