The Uncensored America event was canceled on Monday after protesters and police were pepper sprayed before it began.
n this April 27, 2017 file photo, Gavin McInnes, center, founder of the far-right group Proud Boys, is surrounded by supporters after speaking in Berkeley, Calif. McInnes was scheduled to speak at Penn State University on Monday, but the event was canceled due to a "threat of escalating violence."Protests at Penn State’s main campus led to the university canceling a controversial speaking event featuring one of the founders of the Proud Boys after a “threat of escalating violence.
According to a statement released by the university around 7:15 p.m., Penn State University police decided to cancel the event, Uncensored America, because “demonstrations regrettably turned violent” when protesters and police were pepper sprayed. “The University has been clear that the views and speech of the two speakers at tonight’s student-organization-hosted event are abhorrent and do not align with the values of Penn State,” the university said. Those speakers were Proud Boys Founder Gavin McInnes and Alex Stein. “We have encouraged peaceful protest, and, while protest is an acceptable means of expression, it becomes unacceptable when it obstructs the basic exchange of ideas.
The Southern Poverty Law Center lists them as a “general hate” group, founded in 2016. Although the group denies connections to the alt-right, their members have been present at far-right rallies and had a presence at the Jan. 6, 2021 attacks on the U.S. Capitol. It was unclear what time the protests began, but just after 7 p.m., the campus alert system warned people to avoid the Thomas Building area, calling the crowd there an “unlawful disturbance.”The alert warned that people should leave the area, or be subject to arrest.