Penn State cancels appearance by Proud Boys founder after protest and ‘threat of violence’

After pushback from students and clashes between protesters and counterprotesters, Pennsylvania State University canceled an appearance by the founder of the Proud Boys.

In a statement Monday, Penn State leaders said that the university had canceled a comedy show that was to be headlined by Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes due to the “threat of escalating violence.” University police decided to cancel the event after officials deemed the confrontations too violent.

McInnes, who founded the far-right white nationalist group, was set to perform along with far-right personality Alex Stein as part of the “Stand Back & Stand By” comedy hour Monday. The show was hosted by Uncensored America, the university’s chapter of a conservative student club.

Multiple videos posted on social media appeared to show members of the Proud Boys pepper-spraying student protesters and journalists ahead of the event. In a statement, Penn State president Neeli Bendapudi said that Stein escalated the fomenting tension when he entered what had been a peaceful protest.

Although Penn State officials had previously decried McInnes and Stein’s “repugnant and denigrating” rhetoric and said they did not endorse the pair’s appearance, they had contended that the event was out of their hands.

“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,” university leaders wrote in a Monday statement. “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.”

Leaders of Uncensored America said McInnes had stepped away from the Proud Boys, but multiple reports had McInnes still in an active leadership role. The group has a history of violent and bigoted rhetoric, and members were involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

In her statement, Bendapudi reiterated the university’s denouncement of McInnes and Stein’s rhetoric but stood by the university’s decision to allow the event to go on as part of its commitment to free speech.

Bendapudi said it was unclear who in the crowd escalated to “physical confrontation” and used pepper spray against others, including police.

Bendapudi said that counterprotesters who fought to stop the event furthered the visibility of McInnes and Stein’s cause.

The Student Committee for Defense and Solidarity at Penn State wrote an online petition to stop the event that had more than 3,200 signatures as of Tuesday.

“‘Free Speech’ does not mean ‘paid speech’ nor does it mean ‘platforming fascists and promoting hateful, meritless disinformation with thousands of student-fee dollars,’” leaders of the group wrote. “Penn Staters and their friends oppose fascism, Gavin McInnes, and the manipulative rhetoric of Uncensored America and we do not welcome any of these in the midst of our campus environment — we demand that our university administration stand with us.”

According to Uncensored America’s pitch, the event would cost $7,522.43 of student service fees, the bulk of which was to be used to pay an honorarium fee.

Appearances by McInnes at universities have previously sparked outrage and violence.

In 2017, McInnes’ speaking engagement with the New York University College Republicans was cut short after he was hit with pepper spray and fights erupted on campus at New York University.

That same year, DePaul University leaders canceled McInnes’ speaking engagement at the Chicago private school for being “too dangerous.”