Conservative YouTuber's U Of M Speech Expected To Draw Protesters
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Conservative internet personality Lauren Southern is slated to speak at the University of Minnesota this week and protesters appear ready to demonstrate against the YouTube pundit.
The 22-year-old Canadian commentator is scheduled to speak at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the West Bank Auditorium.
The group Collegians for a Constructive Tomorrow invited the libertarian activist to campus, and, according to a Facebook post, her talk will cover the evils of socialism and the "necessity of free speech in political discourse."
Southern is known for her YouTube channel, which has more than 370,000 subscribers, and her criticisms of feminism, immigration policy, and the Black Lives Matter movement.
Since rising to internet fame, she has been associated with the alt-right figures like white nationalist Richard Spencer and disgraced conservative provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos.
More than 80 people are planning to attend Southern's talk, according to the Facebook event page. About 200 more say they are interested.
Organizers say they are expecting protesters. They've encouraged those attending not to engage with them.
"Respect their First Amendment rights," a post on the Facebook event page says.
According to an anti-fascist website, there is a call to protest Southern's speech. Protesters are encouraged to bring friends and protect their identities from live-streamers and other cameras.
The website says that by allowing Southern to speak the university is giving a platform to white nationalism under the banner of free speech.