POLICE/RACISM: “The appearance of white nationalist Richard Spencer on Thursday [10-19-17] at the University of Florida sparked a declaration of a state of emergency by Florida’s governor. The event ended up generating little more than shouting and a few arrests. There was no violence.
Still, the massive preparations for potentially violent civil disobedience came with a hefty price tag. The school estimates it will have spent more than $500,000 on security—more than it pays for football games at a stadium that holds 90,000 people. The cost is part of a growing toll this year as a wave of right-wing speakers faces off against left-wing protesters…
The Gainesville Police Department, which beefed up security in their jurisdiction, incurred additional costs, she said. Among those arrested were three men, who were charged with attempted homicide after they shot at a group of people protesting the speech. The police said at least two of the three men have shown connections to extremist groups…
To be sure, high-profile speakers have always carried some security cost. When then-President Barack Obama spoke at Rutgers University in May 2016, the New Jersey school spent around $275,000 on security and traffic concerns, according to the school.
Schools have struggled to come up with a consistent answer to requests to speak, pitting their free-speech ideals against security concerns.”
-Douglas Belkin, “Fear of Violent Protests Raises Cost of Free Speech on Campus,” The Wall Street Journal online, Oct. 22, 2017 07:00am