Minnesota students protesting Lauren Southern turn violent, Antifa blamed as Brittany Cusack arrested
An event featuring Lauren Southern at the University of Minnesota Thursday night was protested by Antifa-related groups, nearly 200 protesters chanting “Nazi scum, off our streets” while carrying signs that said “Minnesota against white supremacy” and “Bigotry not allowed.”
A SWAT team was called in and the police sprayed a chemical irritant three times to break the protesters up, according to university spokesman Evan Lapiska.
David Blondin of Collegians for a Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT) said the group invited Southern because its members “believe all opinions need to be heard.”
City Pages accused Southern of being part of the “alt-right,” a charge that she dismissed by saying the alt-right would find that claim “laughable.” Southern tweeted a picture of the attendees inside Anderson Hall and wrote, “They all survived the shrieking commies outside.”
Individuals associated with Antifa reportedly stalked attendees of the event and assaulted them.
CFACT adviser Bill Gilles, who witnessed the fight, told Campus Reform that the assailants “were wearing masks and riding bikes…slowly circling us and following us.” When things turned violent, he said, the people in masks “pulled out mace or pepper spray and sprayed attendees.”
Mitch Bendis, one of the alleged victims, recounted the experience for CFACT.
“One of them spit on me,” he claimed, adding that “before I could comprehend what happened, they shoved me and I nearly fell…I was completely overwhelmed. I didn’t know what to do. Luckily, my friend called the police and that scared them off.”
According to a university spokesperson, police made just one arrest: Brittany Paige Cusack, 21, of Minneapolis, who is not a current student at the university. She was cited for disorderly conduct, posted $78 bail, and left jail at 2:39 a.m
A poster for the event says Southern will address “the Evils of Socialist Authoritarianism and Necessity of Free Speech”
photo donkeyhotey
These so called antifascists are the very thing they think they are against.