Governor Rick Scott (R) has declared a state of emergency in the county where the University of Florida lay, due to a planned speech by Richard Spencer. According to NPR:
When Hurricane Irma was bearing down on Florida last month, Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency. On Monday, he did the same thing in Alachua County, ahead of a speech by white nationalist Richard Spencer at the University of Florida in Gainesville.
"We live in a country where everyone has the right to voice their opinion, however, we have zero tolerance for violence and public safety is always our number one priority," Scott said in a statement. "This executive order is an additional step to ensure that the University of Florida and the entire community is prepared so everyone can stay safe."
"I find that the threat of a potential emergency is imminent," Scott declared in his executive order, noting that Alachua County Sheriff Sadie Darnell had requested the state's assistance. The order will make it easier for various agencies to coordinate a security plan for Thursday's speech at the university.
[...] No campus group invited Spencer to speak, and the university is not hosting or sponsoring the event. Spencer's group, the National Policy Institute, is paying the university $10,564 for facility rental and security.
And it looks like it could get expensive:
The speech and accompanying protests are also a major expense: The university as well as state and local agencies expect to spend more than $500,000 to provide additional security.
And the University of Florida can't demand that Spencer pay the full cost of protecting him, because of a 1992 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Forsyth County v. Nationalist Movement.
In that decision, the university explains, "the Court clarified that the government cannot assess a security fee on the speaker based upon the costs of controlling the reaction of potential hostile onlookers or protestors," under legal doctrine known as the "heckler's veto."
Well, that is the cost of free speech in a free country.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by khallow on Thursday October 19 2017, @01:36AM (7 children)
(Score: 2) by aristarchus on Thursday October 19 2017, @05:19AM (2 children)
I find your lack of faith disturbing, khallow! And your lack of a sense of humor. Here, let me give a dogwhistle for you! "Taxation is Theft!", another? "White lives matter, too, sometimes, even though they mostly are really pathetic and boring and only achieved on the back of white privilege, which some khallows are know to call, "inherited intelligence." Just amazing, truly, truly amazing. Got a racist tarbaby stuck to your backside, khallow! Prove us wrong! Are you not a Republican? Are you not a Libertariantard? Are you, or are you not, a member of the Communist party? At long last, sir, have you no shame? Sir? khallow, I am talking to you. Have you no shame?
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Thursday October 19 2017, @12:43PM
Aristarchus, all this rhetorical involution of yours really confuses me. I'm just trying to survive this white genocide VLM assures us we're in the middle of.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Thursday October 19 2017, @02:57PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Tzu0s3aG40 [youtube.com]
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Thursday October 19 2017, @12:41PM (3 children)
Buzzard is also not funny, so at least there's symmetry [youtu.be].
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Thursday October 19 2017, @04:06PM (2 children)
I'll have you know I absolutely kill with the Harpo Marx "hold my leg" gag, thank you very much.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 19 2017, @07:05PM (1 child)
I think we're all done believing anything you say. Except jmo, hallow, runaway, vlm, and probably some others. They seem to love you long time.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Thursday October 19 2017, @09:26PM
As well they should for five dollar.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.