As white nationalist Richard Spencer’s visit to MSU approaches, many student organizations have been planning protests and other ways to resist Spencer’s ideas.
On March 5, the day of Spencer’s visit at the Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education, there will be several protests and alternative events around campus put on by various student organizations.
Stop Spencer at Michigan State University will have a protest on March 5 from noon to 6:30 p.m. at Commuter Lot 89 at the corner of Farm Lane and Mt. Hope, close to the venue of Spencer’s visit.
“We say stop Richard Spencer and defend against racist and fascist attacks on every campus and in every community. We say no ban, no wall and no borders,” the Facebook event description reads. “Come out Monday, March 5th to oppose Richard Spencer, his movement, and all racist and fascist attacks.”
The Stop Spencer at MSU coalition also has a direct action training event in room B122 of Wells Hall on March 3 in order to “cover some of the basics of Direct Action” for those who plan on attending the protest, according to the coalition’s Facebook page.
In addition to the protest from Stop Spencer at MSU, there will also be a Rally for Unity: A Non-Violent Response to Richard Spencer on March 5 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. organized by the MSU College Democrats, the Young Americans for Liberty at MSU, MSU Young Democratic Socialists and Spartans for Unity.
The event’s description said the rally is a "peaceful alternative event to the hateful rhetoric that will be spewed from white nationalists."
A Rally Against Richard Spencer, NeoNazis, and Hate Speech, organized by a group called Exposing Hateful Conservatives, will also take place March 5 from 3:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m.
“Together, we are fighting back against Nazis, White Supremacists, and hateful ideologies that mean to do us harm,” according to the Facebook event description. “They say they have the right to express their vision to subjugate nonwhites, Jews, Muslims, and anyone else they hate at the moment.”
On Feb. 28, the Change Agent Consortium held a press conference to announce they will also hold a protest against Spencer’s visit on March 2 at 3 p.m. at the Hannah Administration Building.
"In a state where hate crimes are on the rise, we cannot condone racists and their hate-filled speech going unchecked," David Alexander Bullock, the Change Agent Consortium national spokesperson, said in the press release for the conference. "There should be zero tolerance for Spencer and his message at MSU or any institution that has a mission of confronting the irrationality and immortality of race prejudice."
Another alternative event that will take place around campus during Spencer’s visit is the Celebration of Diversity Festival.
The event will be at the All Saints Episcopal Church in East Lansing from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and is supported by the MSU College Republicans, the MSU College Democrats, Black Lives Matter Lansing, the Associated Students of Michigan State University, and 10 other organizations, according to the event’s Facebook page.
“The Greater Lansing community is diverse, accepting of all identities, and stands against the assertion of white supremacy,” the event’s description reads. “Given the rise in visible white supremacy, several community groups have decided to come together to celebrate our diverse populace.”
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