Angry protesters at the University of Memphis disrupted a speech by Kyle Rittenhouse on Wednesday night, as hundreds of demonstrators gathered to shout down a discussion about the Second Amendment.
Rittenhouse is best known for killing two attackers and injuring another in 2020 in defense of his own life during Black Lives Matter riots in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where he was protecting local businesses. He was acquitted of all charges related to the incident in 2021.
Roughly 200 protesters gathered outside the auditorium where Rittenhouse was speaking at an event hosted by the conservative group Turning Point USA. Prior to the talk, TPUSA said the university took “unprecedented actions to undermine” the event. The group accused the school of “seizing control of the seating arrangements and the ticketing system” and leaking new ticketing information to protesters so they could “reserve large numbers of newly issued tickets and sabotage the event.”
Videos on social media showed demonstrators chasing event attendees and booing them as police officers escorted attendees off campus. After disruptions, which included protesters shouting “no justice, no peace,” banging on trash cans, and heckling Rittenhouse while onstage, Rittenhouse promptly left the stage.
While many media reports say he was driven off the stage by protesters, Rittenhouse disputes the characterization, posting on X, “What I find hilarious is that everyone is saying I was ‘chased’ out of Memphis, when in reality, we went to this restaurant called Huey’s, grabbed some food, and nobody seemed to care or notice.”
Demonstrators came with signs that read “Murderers don’t belong here,” “Put Rittenhouse behind bars not a podium,” and “No one should be open to: Racism, Christo-Fascism, Murderous Little S***s.”
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) came to Rittenhouse’s defense, stating in a post on X, “While trying to help during riots, he was attacked by convicts and exercised his right to self defense, killing a child molester & a domestic abuser convicted of strangulation.”
At age 17, Kyle Rittenhouse had a greater sense of civic duty than most people exhibit in a lifetime.
While trying to help during riots, he was attacked by convicts and exercised his right to self defense, killing a child molester & a domestic abuser convicted of strangulation.
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) March 21, 2024
TPUSA founder and CEO Charlie Kirk also posted a video he said showed demonstrators “hitting and spitting on cars” and attempting to “block the cars from leaving.”
Earlier this month, the school released a statement ahead of Rittenhouse’s speech, saying it was following the law and noting that “the expression of different ideas and opinions plays an important role in maintaining a diverse campus environment that is open and inclusive.”
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“It is essential that these discussions take place while maintaining a safe environment on our campus,” the statement continued. “Speech that includes threats, harassment, or attempts to incite violence is not protected under the First Amendment and is strongly prohibited by the university.”
The Washington Examiner contacted the University of Memphis for comment.