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A&M students protest Alt-Right leader on campus

Posted at 4:04 AM, Dec 07, 2016
and last updated 2016-12-07 11:52:03-05

University administration at Texas A&M said they had no choice but to let Alt-Right leader Richard Spencer speak Tuesday night. While his event went on as planned, the university wanted to distance from what they deemed "hate speech".

While Spencer spoke to students across campus, at football stadium Kyle Field a counter protest, Aggies United, took place. University President Michael K Young wanted to remind students that the event wouldn't define their university.

"We're not gonna let anybody else define what Texas A&M is, we tell them and we tell the world," Young said. 

Messages from Dan Rather and other famous A&M alumni played across the jumbotron. In Rather's video, he saluted students for taking a stand against Spencer.

Speakers never addressed Richard Spencer by name not wanting to draw attention away from their efforts. Instead, students used music and dance to showcase diversity. 

Senior, JC "Juice" Faa, performed in the showcase. He said he performed his song to motivate his peers to stay focused on affecting change. "Go out and do what you have to do. Do what you're meant to do. We are all here for a reason," Faa said. 

A&M quarterback, Trevor Knight, was one of several student-athletes who participated.

Knight described sports as an equalizer of people from all walks of life. The ability to work together, Knight said, translates off of the field as well. 

"Our core values at Texas A&M is mutual respect. We can stand and walk around this university and around the world and know that we got each other's back," Knight said.

Freshman Kalie Venner attended a peaceful protest on campus prior to Aggies United.  Venner believes that while Spencer's event on campus brought negative attention to the University, students are making the best of it. 

"I've never seen the campus like this before and I think it's pretty awesome," Venner said. 

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