DePaul will pick up security costs after protests erupted Tuesday and canceled an event featuring a controversial conservative speaker.
On Tuesday, Milo Yiannopoulos, a technology reporter for Breitbart and a self-proclaimed “internet supervillian,” visited DePaul in an event hosted by DePaul’s College Republicans. However, 15 minutes in, protesters stormed the stage, creating chaos.
The event was eventually canceled after Yiannopolos and his supporters marched around DePaul’s campus, leading to the Student Center to also be shut down.
“Because the university canceled the event for safety reasons, the university will cover all costs for security,” Gene Zdziarski, the vice president for Student Affairs, said.
The university will cover the costs for 15 security guards. Yiannopoulos and members of the College Republicans were upset after a last minute notice from DePaul that the event would need additional security guards after initially agreeing on nine.
Yiannopoulos said he covered the cost of the extra security, which Nicole Been, president of the College Republicans, said was an extra $840, but the university also said that no one had yet to be invoiced for the event. Been said the total amount to bring Yiannopoulos to DePaul totaled around $2500 on their end, which included his flights and the initial cost for security.
Been could not be immediately reached for comment, but said Thursday they wanted their money back. At the time, she said they were exploring legal action.
“We feel like (Public Safety) didn’t do their job,” Been said. “It wasn’t right … He was only able to speak for 20 minutes. It was supposed to be a 90 minute event.”
Correction: a previous version of this article stated that DePaul would be covering the cost for 24 security guards, when the groups agreed on 15 security guards.
Rocky • Jun 2, 2016 at 12:15 am
The new normal. What”s next, book burning? Fascism is alive and well.
Page 7 • Jun 1, 2016 at 12:58 pm
What’s amazing is that all of these protests by “oppressed” groups who are fascists that suppress any speech they don’t agree with completely take the bait that Milo is hanging on the line.
You couldn’t make a SNL skit better than Trigglypuff or these thugs to show you the immaturity, lack of reason, lack of humility or discourse that these social justice warriors demonstrate. They are playing right into his hands and show their true colors.
disqus_izKB2mVZ9T • Jun 1, 2016 at 8:23 am
DePaul got it wrong, badly. If I was American I’d be voting Trump in spite.
William Snell • May 31, 2016 at 5:24 pm
Did they learn nothing from the Mizzou protests? Knuckling under in the face of these entitled special snowflakes only results in more and more ludicrous demands being made. Now Mizzou’s enrollment is down 20% from last year. Let’s see what happens to DePaul.
Sarah Romoff • May 30, 2016 at 5:25 am
Failed to mention president’s attempt at apology, which only revealed him to be biased incompeten and unable to use a Google search; Failed to mention the university’s role in impeding security measure and lastly failed to condemn Depaul’s endorsement of BLM and their terroristic protest and tactics. Will anyone at Depaul take accountability
Ragoftag • May 29, 2016 at 8:49 pm
…and jail every protester for trespass and threatening.
ThothMRM • May 29, 2016 at 5:21 pm
Speakers should just choose not to speak at DePaul a school that does not respect free speech does not deserve respect. Those alumni that care should contact other alumni to pull funding and support for the school until they change.
gregory alan elliott • May 29, 2016 at 3:27 pm
Hey DePaul University. What would Jesus do?
ChicagoJohn • May 29, 2016 at 1:39 pm
Why isn’t the Depaulia investigating this?
Is it because they’re not interested in journalism?
ChicagoJohn • May 29, 2016 at 1:35 pm
DePaulia is either missing, or just skipping past an important point:
The security was there. We’ve seen that in the video.
So who ordered them not to do anything?
The Chicago police were there. So why didn’t they expunge the students who had disrupted the event? Isn’t that why they were called in?
Or has DePaul decreed that as long as you don’t like the content of an event, any student can stop it from happening?
mothyham • May 29, 2016 at 1:03 pm
as if DePaul is a real school.
@nsmartinworld • May 29, 2016 at 11:59 am
Not good enough. The alleged security did nothing and free speech was buried at DePaul. The President gave a pass to the vandals.
Del Negro • May 29, 2016 at 11:26 am
Events like these shouldn’t be held on campus, simply because there’s always gonna be a few idiots who want to disrupt it, the college republicans should hire out a hall somewhere outside of campus and hold it there instead, so only people who actually want to listen will be bothered to go
@nsmartinworld • May 29, 2016 at 12:00 pm
I don’t think you grasp the importance of defending free speech on campuses.
ChicagoJohn • May 29, 2016 at 1:41 pm
“…the college republicans should hire out a hall somewhere outside of campus and hold it there instead, so only people who actually want to listen will be bothered to go..”
You mean like… with the Trump rallies? Where the protesters literally shut down the highways to the events?
You don’t get how fascist the left has become when it comes to free speech. Do you?
Del Negro • May 31, 2016 at 5:55 am
Well I don’t live in America so not really, I’m only really watching the craziness through my computer/TV screen
Richard Sanderson • May 29, 2016 at 11:10 am
If any more regressive left, authoritarian, anti-liberal professors want to resign – go ahead and make my day. You won’t be missed, and your classplaining will be dismissed.
Also, DePaul won’t be able to get away with covering up the truth.
Edward Krusling • May 29, 2016 at 9:47 am
Don’t hold your breath.
DePaul’s Gender Studies department has endorsed the actions taken by their students. University president Holtschneider, in his own statement, went on to lie about speaker Yiannopoulos and vowed to make it easier for ‘protesters’ in the future. The university has provided more response to a demonstrably fake noose than to an assault on an invited guest.
It has become abundantly clear that violence and intimidation are normal and even expected behavior at DePaul in the face of conservative speech. This wasn’t an isolated bunch of students misbehaving, this is what DePaul is.
PreacherPatriot1776 • May 30, 2016 at 10:13 am
Then those faculty members need to be fired and the department shut down.
TheSuitIsNOTBlack • May 29, 2016 at 9:44 am
“Because the university canceled the event for safety reasons…”
But that’s not the reason…is it depauliaonline? The reason is because administrators ordered security to not do anything and to allow an unsafe environment to persist. Why are you lying?
Sven Åke Svensson • May 29, 2016 at 3:06 pm
In defence of DePaulia i must say that they only reference what the faculty said. Also. I can understand that DePaulia is reluctant to be more agressive in its journalistic ways. Just look at the reporter that was arrested.
There is such an hostile enviroment to report in that i am surprised they even let the commentarys be here. I actually am impressed by some of the journalists here and cannot other than hope they stand up to the oppression.
All lives matter. Free speech for everyone.
TheSuitIsNOTBlack • May 29, 2016 at 7:06 pm
No, I don’t really buy that. There was testimony from police that they were told not to intervene. This is the most relevant fact of the entire thing. A good journalist would mention this.
CowDog Smythe • May 29, 2016 at 8:51 am
Anything from Chicago related to education is by definition broken. DePaul is a joke and diploma mill – at best.
Elilla Shadowheart • May 29, 2016 at 7:36 am
The real problem for DePaul is going to be getting anyone to actually show up to speak now. They’ve just effectively put out that they don’t care for the safety of their guests, and in fact will actively stop security from doing their job to protect them or restore order.
That says an awful lot about the university and the administration. And in my book it says that they believe that bullying tactics and threatening speakers is okay.
Chico Fuentes • May 29, 2016 at 4:27 am
Nice try, but it’s not nearly enough. DePaul’s apparent decision to have its “security” people refuse to protect the speakers constitutes extreme treachery. The administration’s’ message of “gee, sorry ‘security’ wasn’t really there for your safety” rings quite hollow.
One lesson here is that conservative groups that hold events on DePaul’s campus need to hire their own bodyguards. There’s no reason to expect that people with non-SJW views will get square deals from the university’s adminisration when it comes to security.
Echo • May 29, 2016 at 3:49 am
15 security guards! Talk about a heckler’s veto.
Maybe the university should sue the protestors. I’m sure their parents have plenty of money.
Ichneumon Jones • May 29, 2016 at 1:10 am
DePaul is trying very hard to follow Mizzou into an “own-goal” slide down into the toilet.
Ryan Smith • May 29, 2016 at 12:51 am
I think the college handled this perfectly. They allowed a jerk face to come visit and speak to the populous by which they were invited; then welcomed certain opposition to such an allowed ideology. This is an open forum. Thanks for allowing such to exist DePaul UniversitY!
ChicagoJohn • May 29, 2016 at 1:36 pm
You considered THAT an open forum?
A dozen people get to shut down an event that more than 500 students wanted to see?
Ryan… does that mean that any group of students can shut down an event that you want to see?
coffeetable • May 29, 2016 at 12:40 am
I can guarantee you, the response will be nothing.
earl hickey • May 29, 2016 at 12:24 am
It sounds as if the University , after exploring all other options , is finally doing the right thing. good for them.
Stan Brooks • May 28, 2016 at 8:40 pm
Why are you afraid to let my comment stand?
jrly • May 29, 2016 at 12:27 am
They’re all there. Relax
Stan Brooks • May 28, 2016 at 8:39 pm
The refund is because the security failed to stop protesters from taking the stage and preventing the event from happening.
Stan Brooks • May 28, 2016 at 8:32 pm
If you are not going to allow any comments why not just turn them off?
Stan Brooks • May 28, 2016 at 8:32 pm
The refund is because the security failed to stop protesters from taking the stage and preventing the event from happening.
Stan Brooks • May 28, 2016 at 8:23 pm
The refund is because the security failed to stop protesters from taking the stage and preventing the event from happening.
Stan Brooks • May 28, 2016 at 8:18 pm
The refund is because the security failed to stop protesters from taking the stage and preventing the event from happening.
Stan Brooks • May 28, 2016 at 7:53 pm
The refund is because the security failed to stop protesters from taking the stage and preventing the event from happening.
Tehy • May 28, 2016 at 6:56 pm
‘“Because the university canceled the event for safety reasons, the university will cover all costs for security,” Gene Zdziarski, the vice president for Student Affairs, said.’
it’s probably more like, because the guards wouldn’t do their jobs as they were supposed to
Pitchguest • May 29, 2016 at 7:45 am
According to security hired at the event, they were prohibited from doing anything from the administrators at the school.
Sigh up • May 29, 2016 at 8:23 am
Not that they didn’t want to, but they were told by the administers not to interfere.
Stan Brooks • May 28, 2016 at 6:50 pm
The event was cancelled due to the protesters that stormed the stage. The refund is because security failed to stop them.
Stan Brooks • May 28, 2016 at 6:40 pm
The reason the event was cancelled was the protestors who stormed the stage. One who was blowing a whistle so the mics couldn’t be heard. One grabbed a mic out of a person’s hands. The security did not do anything. That is why the money is being refunded. Not the march that happened after these events.
Cruella DeVille • May 30, 2016 at 4:45 pm
And security along with the police were prevented from doing anything because the administration was on the side of the radicals threatening violence.