Protests greet UIC appearance by Charlie Kirk, Candace Owens
Dozens of University of Illinois Chicago students protested an event featuring farright speakers Charlie Kirk and Candace Owens at the UIC Forum on Thursday evening.
Demonstrators held signs saying “Racism is a public health crisis” and chanted “Whose city? Our city!” and “Shut it down!” Some of those waiting in line to enter the event shouted back “Freedom!”
The event was organized by a student-led chapter of the conservative group Turning Point USA. After hearing of the event, a collection of student groups formed UIC Against Hatred, which organized the protests.
Ahead of the event, Kirk posted a video of the demonstrators on Twitter and wrote, “My University of Illinois- Chicago welcoming committee. Should be a fun night!”
A UIC student who wished to be identified only as Nathan said Owens and Kirk are both known for their “hateful” rhetoric against minority groups.
“I have trans friends, I have BIPOC friends that have been attacked by them, by their work, by their rhetoric,” Nathan said. “And as we have seen throughout the United States throughout the course of the last couple years, there’s been anti-trans bills, there’s been more discriminatory actions, so we don’t want that kind of hateful rhetoric on our campus.”
Turning Point USA was founded in 2012 by Kirk, an avid supporter of former President Donald Trump who considers critical race theory and the concept of white privilege as discriminatory against whites. Kirk grew up in the northwest suburbs of Chicago and attended Wheeling High School.
According to the Anti-Defamation League, Kirk’s views “have led him to attack the transgender community several times,” and Turning Point USA “continues to attract racists.”
The student organizers of the event said, “We just want to advocate for freedom of speech,” and declined to comment further.
Vicki Finegan, who drove from the southwest suburbs to see Owens and Kirk, said freedom of speech was also a big motivator for her attending the event.
“I want to hear what they have to say in regards to freedom of what they’re trying to do throughout the United States to educate people, not just scream at people. They want to educate us, so I appreciate that. That’s what the First Amendment is all about,” Finegan said, adding that she wondered whether any students were paid to attend the protest.
But Jonathan May, a student who attended the protest, admonished the school for allowing the event to take place.
“I think it’s disgusting that the university has these people on campus,” May said.
The university said in a statement that it did not sponsor the event, and it frequently rents out space on campus to individuals or organizations when requested. “A UIC rental agreement does not constitute endorsement, sponsorship or support for any particular speaker or organization on campus.”