NC State protest brings out hundreds at ‘Culture War’ campus event with Lara Trump
Hundreds of students marched at North Carolina State University Wednesday night to protest an event organized by a conservative college organization featuring President Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump.
The event, titled “Culture War,” was organized by Turning Point USA and is part of a college campus speaking tour to “win America’s culture war” and spur student involvement for the president’s 2020 reelection campaign. Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA and chairman of Students for Trump, also was scheduled to speak.
But a coalition of campus organizations organized the “No Hate at NC State” protest to denounce the promotion of hate speech “against various minority and marginalized groups,” according to information shared on campus by protesters.
Protesters gathered in a large crowd around 5 p.m. in the Wolf Plaza area outside of the Talley Student Union, where the event was scheduled to be held at 7:30 p.m. They marched inside together, chanting “No hate at NC State” and “No justice, no peace,” and gathering on the floor below the ballroom.
The event brought heightened NC State police presence to deal with the crowds on two floors of the building.
“[Protesters] have every right to be here as long as it stays peaceful,” said Luke Stancil, a conservative NC State student. “But I disagree with every word that comes out of their mouth.”
Lara Trump is from Wilmington and is an NC State graduate. She is married to the president’s son, Eric, and is an adviser to the president’s re-election campaign.
Clash earlier this week
The event follows controversy on the NC State campus after Jack Bishop, a conservative NC State freshman student and son of North Carolina congressman Dan Bishop, clashed Monday night with members of the No Hate at NC State Coalition.
Jack Bishop said he was assaulted with spray paint when protesters interrupted his painting of promotional signs for the event in the Free Expression tunnel on campus, The News & Observer reported.
“It was a little alarming to come in here and hear a lot of boos from the Trump people upstairs, but people are excited,” said Emery Harwell, a student protester and an organizing member of the No Hate at NC State Coalition.
Harwell, a member of the Young Democratic Socialists of America chapter at the university, said he was only expecting a turnout of 100 or so people.
The “Culture War” event reached capacity quickly, leaving people waiting outside. During the event, a few student protesters who attended walked out silently in protest.
Many stood in line to enter the ballroom, and protesters’ chants filled the building.
Inside, Kirk led the event’s discussion surrounding successes of the presidential administration. Protesters did not make an attempt to disrupt the event.
“They have a first amendment right to be wrong,” said Kirk, acknowledging the protesters.
Kirk made a point to bring Jack Bishop to the crowd’s attention to praise him for standing up against “socialist thugs” of the No Hate at NC State Coalition.
Attendees leaving the event were met by students who gathered outside Talley who continued chants in protest as they exited.
This story was originally published November 13, 2019 at 9:38 PM.
