GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WSVN) — After being threatened with legal action, the University of Florida has changed its stance on allowing a white nationalist group to host an event on campus.
The National Policy Institute — the group headed by white nationalist Richard Spencer — threatened legal action after UF refused to rent it space on campus for an event on Sept. 12.
The university had cited concerns about violence after recent events in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the UF president had said the university was prepared to defend its decision.
However, after the group threatened to sue, citing the first amendment, UF said that the university will now try to accommodate the group if it makes a new request for event space.
UF officials said in a statement, “The university is committed to upholding the first amendment right to free speech and civil discourse, and we have a history of hosting controversial speakers on campus to this end.”
So far, Richard Spencer and the National Police Institute have not submitted a new request, but they are expected to do so soon.
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