Rittenhouse’s visit to University of Memphis cut short by students, protestors
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Speaker and conservative public figure Kyle Rittenhouse made an appearance at the University of Memphis on Wednesday night. Students rallied before, during and after his appearance.
Some students have been preparing for Rittenhouse’s arrival.
Campus police and Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers assisted with the increased security on campus Wednesday.
The controversial speaker ended his stop in Memphis early after unhappy students drowned him out as soon as he took the stage.
Hundreds of Memphis students gathered in protest of Rittenhouse’s stop at the University of Memphis.
“We cannot let him control our voices,” said University of Memphis student Madelyn Bush. “We need to speak our own voices, our own narrative. A peaceful narrative.”
The sold-out event for Rittenhouse’s tour with conservative group Turning Point USA was supposed to focus on the Second Amendment and the “lies of Black Lives Matter.”
“We want to know his story,” said Carla Vanschaick, who came to hear Rittenhouse speak. “There’s a lot of misinformation. I’m just curious to hear from him what he’s been through.”
Less than half of the UC Theater was filled, according to students.
They say about 50 to 60 people were inside.
They also tell us Rittenhouse never gave a speech and instead moved on to the Q&A.
Students asked him why he came to Memphis and about his controversial trial in 2021. Rittenhouse told the audience, he was put on trial because an election was happening.
After being questioned about Turning Point USA’s CEO, Rittenhouse left the stage.
Turning Point USA organizers were escorted off of campus by state troopers after being run off by a flood of students.
Rittenhouse is scheduled to speak at Western Kentucky University next.
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