SPLC webinar encourages nonviolent protest

In light of recent events on college campuses around the country involving the alt-right movement, the Southern Poverty Law Center presented a webinar to college administrators and students about how to nonviolently protest the alt-right movement when supporters arrive on campus. 

Director of marketing for the SPLC, Seth Levi, gave a web presentation Wednesday, Sept. 20, to give advice on how to react to hate groups on campus nonviolently and positively.

In April 2017, Auburn University made national news when white nationalist Richard Spencer came to campus to present his message. The SPLC has been a source for information on how to handle people, such as Richard Spencer, and hate groups and their presence on a college campus.

Levi began his presentation with an explanation of why speakers, such as Richard Spencer, are drawn to college campuses. 

“The reason they are coming to college campuses is that of the reaction they are going to receive from students is pretty predictable. Because students have few ways to voice their displeasure with a controversial speaker,” Levi said.

Levi advised students not to protest by attempting to ban a hate speech group or acknowledge these groups in any negative light.

“Students are often feeling like all they can do is have some kind of big counter protest or call for the speaker to be banned," Levi said. "These alt- right speakers, their sole goal is to create a media circus. That is why they are pushing the buttons of students – because they want to see a big protest.”

The SPLC warns against interaction with the hate speakers and their supporters on campus. Instead, the SPLC suggests alternatives to direct interaction. 

“Put together some kind of alternate event for everyone to channel their energy into,” Levi said.

He said the idea is to show and display that the campus community as a whole opposes this kind of bigotry that the alt-right speaker is going to be spewing when they speak.

“Reach out to the group that invited them. Relay your concerns,” Levi said as he went on to describe how to explain your concerns and how to educate the group that invited the speaker about the alt-right movement.

Levi then gave his closing remarks.

“Something meaningful that they can do that is a little bit different than your traditional protest, which is what I would suggest, is doing some kind of alternate event, and, again, one of the main goals of the alternate event is to keep the students physically separated from the controversial speaker so that there is no chance again that there is a media circus.”

The SPLC encourages everyone to be informed about nonviolent protests on campus and the alt-right movement. Contact the SPLC for more information.