Three political commentators including FOX Nation host Tomi Lahren spoke at Littlejohn Coliseum on Thursday in support of police officers nationwide while protesters outside discussed her presence on campus and what they say was the university’s condoning of the event.
Lahren was accompanied by former Tucson, Ariz. police officer Brandon Tatum and Turning Point USA contributor Graham Allen. The event opened with individual speeches by Graham, Tatum and Lahren, followed by a question-and-answer period from attendees.
Revolving around the theme of “backing the blue”, speakers showed their support for law enforcement amidst nationwide tensions with the Black Lives Matter movement and ongoing trial of George Floyd, the 46-year-old Black man killed by a Minneapolis police officer in May.
Allen, wearing a black t-shirt with “Protect Free Speech” printed in white, spoke on the importance of law enforcement and the First Amendment. “I have seen what a land looks like with no laws and no people to enforce the laws,” said Allen of his military service in Iraq.
Allen drew parallels throughout his speech between the role that police play in protecting people’s rights and the student protestors outside against the event.
“Freedom of speech works both ways. It works for the people that agree with you and the people who don’t agree with you. Freedom of speech is for everyone,” said Allen.
Tatum vouched for the heroism of law enforcement over what he and Lahren say are the media’s distortion of their true day-to-day jobs. “The police officer experience is service: every single day,” said Tatum, suggesting to the audience that they take a ride along with an officer to learn more about their job.
He refuted claims being made by Black Lives Matter that the majority of cops are racist and “bad”, comparing the number of cops involved with incidents of brutality to the greater number of doctors with malpractice and pastors with young people.
“All of these stories that you hear are to make you hate [the] police,” said Tatum of the media. “It’s strategically functioned to make you hate each other.”
Lahren immediately addressed social distancing and the protest outside upon taking the stage, pointing out that attendees were waiting in line to enter, unmasked and side-by-side, to then sit in socially distanced groups inside the coliseum.
“They tried to cancel me, they tried to cancel you, and they don’t like free speech, which is amazing to me,” said Lahren of the protestors. “This is the only generation that asks for fewer rights and wants less freedom, less speech.”
She continued by addressing the tensions between the Black Lives Matter movement and law enforcement, going as far to say that BLM is a domestic terror organization.
“If BLM wants to be respected as a movement, you don’t burn things down, you don’t attack officers, you don’t act like lawless thugs,” said Lahren.
Lahren then condemned the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol, calling it a disgusting and repulsive scene. She moved into a discussion of how to cancel “cancel culture”, asking attendees to consider how students wanted to cancel the rally and to think about what they can do as civilians.
“Not everyone is going to be bold and brave enough to stick their neck out on the line for what they believe in. You have a choice. You can be a sheep. It’s safer to be a sheep,” said Lahren. “Are you effectively silencing yourself by going along to get along?”
The Tiger spoke to attendees during and after the event, asking students why they came and how they felt about the speakers’ views.
“It’s interesting, to say the least, especially to hear from the other side,” said Alesandra Thompkins, a freshman political science major. “She knows what to say to get the audience excited.”
Another student commented on the polarizing nature of the rally and protest, feeling unrepresented by either group. “I’m somewhere in the middle and they don’t recognize that,” said Brandi Reilly, a freshman sociology major.
One student said they enjoyed the event and it stimulated a thoughtful and provoking discussion. “I’m so glad I went. People need to understand it’s okay to have these conversations,” said Margaret Dixon, a junior animal veterinary science major, of students that protested the event.
“They have just as much a right to speak here as they do to protest,” said Lucas Bell, a junior agribusiness major.
In the closing remarks for the event, the Clemson Turning Point USA chapter presented Clemson University Police Department officers with an American flag containing a Clemson paw print as a symbol of their gratitude for their support.
