Texas university cancels ‘white lives matter’ 9/11 protest inspired by Charlottesville far-right rally
Far-right conspiracy theorist Richard Spencer was due to speak at the event
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A university in Texas has cancelled a white nationalist rally planned for 11 September - inspired by last weekend's far-right event in Charlottesville - over safety concerns.
Neo-Nazis and other extremist groups had planned to host a “white lives matter” protest on Texas A&M’s campus.
The university said the rally would no longer take place after events in Charlottesville, which saw one woman killed and dozens injured when a man with views sympathetic to neo-Nazis deliberately ploughed a car into a crowd of anti-fascist campaigners.
Texas A&M said the white nationalist event planned for September had been cancelled over concerns about the safety of its students, staff and the public.
“Linking the tragedy of Charlottesville and Texas A&M creates a major security risk on our campus,” the university said.
The protest had been organised by former student Preston Wiginton, who was inspired by the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, according to the university’s student newspaper the Battalion.
Mr Wiginton had announced the event in a press release, which read: “Today Charlottesville, tomorrow Texas A&M.”
He said the event was planned to counter “the liberal agenda of white guilt” and the “white genocide that is taught at most all universities in America".
White nationalist and alt-right figure Richard Spencer, who organised the Charlottesville rally, was due to speak at the September event.
The university added in its statement that Mr Wiginton had planned the event outdoors in the middle of campus, as no university facilities had been “afforded him”.
He added that he plans to seek legal action against the university for infringing on his freedom of speech.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments