A controversial speaker at Penn State today claims the University tried to cancel her event.
Riley Gaines who’s garnered national attention for her stance on trans-athelets planning a speech today around what she calls “real women’s day.”
Jen/Sean Riley Gaines was here at the hub lawn about an hour ago and was met with backlash from counter protestors who did their best to drown out her message.
Gaines is a former collegiate athlete who gives speeches against transgenders competing in women’s sports. She told me that the school canceled her speech
But the University denied that claim in a statement they put out earlier today. Just over a month ago Penn State put out a video of their President Neeli Bendapudi defending free speech rights.
In the video she talks about how every person has the right to express their beliefs. Gaines used this video to criticize the University saying that they attempted to cancel her speech today.
Penn State said that the Turning Point USA Group bringing her to the University did not meet the deadline to reserve a spot on campus.
She ended up speaking on the hub lawn instead of inside the student center. She took questions from the audience during her speech which was about twenty minutes although the crowd made it hard to hear.
Two counter protestors were detained and arrested after they flipped over one of the tables set up by the organizers of the event.
Gaines has more speeches scheduled in around the country at different college campuses in the coming months.
