Ben Shapiro at UMN: CFACT & free speech prevail over protesters, liberal campus administration

Shapiro addresses the packed crowd of more than 400 attendees.

A talk hosted by CFACT at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities with renowned conservative political commentator Ben Shapiro overcame multiple attempts by the liberal campus administration to derail the event.

The Ben Shapiro event was a packed house as 400 plus students fought the cold and dozens of obnoxious protesters to come hear Ben Shapiro drop truth bombs about the evils of socialism and the virtue of free markets.

The conflict began when the University of Minnesota administration allegedly “couldn’t find” a venue for Shapiro for February 26th. The university eventually said that the Shapiro event would need to take place in exile in the far removed East Campus at the St. Paul Center, with a far smaller capacity than main campus venues. Finding main campus venues was a feat that was easily overcome for then Democratic Senator Al Franken, now under fire for sexual assault allegations, as well as the radical liberal Senator Elizabeth Warren who both spoke at the University of Minnesota.

Protesters chant and march outside the event, recklessly throwing the word “Nazi” and “white supremacist” at Shapiro supporters.

Although there were less protesters when compared with the previous CFACT event featuring Lauren Southern, protesters showed up with their signs calling Shapiro attendees “white supremacist” and “Nazis” even though Shapiro is a known Orthodox Jew. According to CFACT Associate director of Collegians Graham Beduze who was on the ground for the event, the protesters at one point started insulting the cops and security detail who were protecting the attendees as well as the protesters’ rights.

“We respect and back the blue here at CFACT,” said UMN CFACT president Michael Ziebarth “we are very thankful for the Minneapolis police for their presence at the event.”

Shapiro smirks while discussing free speech, the evils of socialism, and the hypocrisy of liberal campus administrations.

The event eventually started as students were packed in like sardines to listen to Shapiro’s hopeful message of liberty and conservative values. Ben did not disappoint the crowd of die hard students as they cheered and clapped as Shapiro took shots at the administration and the double standard for conservative speakers and organizations versus liberal ones.

“This type of stuff is happening at campuses across the country and shows the growing left wing bias of university administrators,” said Shapiro, “however conservatives need to continue fighting back and demand their first amendment rights be upheld.”

You can watch the full speech, here.

ANTIFA protests outside the Lauren Southern event. Multiple ANTIFA members then ambushed CFACT students after the police presence had left.

This is not the first problem the CFACT chapter at UMN has had with free speech and campus recognition. In the fall semester, CFACT’s signs were one of many conservative signs vandalized by anonymous leftists on campus. The administration took little action to get to the bottom of the vandalization, or to take proactive steps to deter such actions from happening in the future.  As a result CFACT was forced to pay for and host additional security for the protection of the attendees.

CFACT students were also physically assaulted by ANTIFA protesters at the Lauren Southern speech in the fall semester. Again, the administration did little in the form of actual policies or rhetoric in response.

CFACT at UMN, and around the country, will continue to espouse the values Ben Shapiro touted in his speech of advocating for free markets, free speech, and liberty.