Education

Public Barred From Ben Shapiro Lecture At University

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Rob Shimshock Education Reporter
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The University of Connecticut is barring the public from attending conservative author Ben Shapiro’s Wednesday speech at the school.

Young America’s Foundation (YAF), the group sponsoring Shapiro, said that the university is only allowing UConn students, faculty and pre-registered guests from attending, reported Campus Reform.

“Student safety may seem a noble cause for UConn to cherish, but why isn’t the same level of restraint imposed on speaking events by prominent leftists?” YAF spokesman Spencer Brown said. He noted that “just last week, Anita Hill spoke on campus at UConn in an event advertised as ‘free and open to the public,’ with ‘no tickets required for entry.'”

Brown said that UConn adopted the review policy after a November speech when a faculty member from a nearby school stole Gateway Pundit White House correspondent Lucian Wintrich’s presentation notes, and Wintrich used force to retrieve them. (RELATED: College Associate Director Charged For Stealing It’s OK To Be White’ Speech)

WATCH:

“It seems odd that no such restrictions existed for Anita Hill,” Shapiro told The Daily Caller News Foundation. “While I’m sure the Left is more riotous than the right, I’m not sure why that’s an excuse to limit public access for the right. We’re creating a heckler’s veto on general public access to speeches.”

UConn previously offered counseling services to students offended by Shapiro’s visit, reported The Daily Wire.

“We understand that even the thought of an individual coming to campus with the views that Mr. Shapiro expresses can be concerning and even hurtful,” said Joelle Murchison, UConn chief diversity officer and associate vice president.

ALSO WATCH:

The UConn spokeswoman said that Hill and Shapiro both received the same review treatment, even though the College Republicans chapter invited Shapiro while the school, invited Hill, according to The Daily Campus.

TheDCNF reached out to UConn for additional comment, but received none in time for press.

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