Texas A&M ‘White Lives Matter’ Rally Canceled By College, Citing Safety Concern

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By Sam Kestenbaum August 14, 2017

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A white supremacist rally slated for September at Texas A&M University has been cancelled, with the school citing safety concerns in the wake of violent clashes at at a similar gathering in Virginia.

Texas A&M cancels 9/11 event reservation: https://t.co/nquKNDx8cO

— Texas A&M University (@TAMU) August 14, 2017

“Alt-right” figurehead Richard Spencer had been slated to appear at the campus event, billed as a “White Lives Matter Rally” and organized by Preston Wiginton, a Texan with ties to white nationalist groups. The announcement comes on the heels of violent protests in Virginia which saw clashes between white nationalists and counter-protestors, including one death.

“Linking the tragedy of Charlottesville with the Texas A&M event creates a major security risk on our campus,” a statement from the college read.

Email Sam Kestenbaum at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter at @skestenbaum

Sam Kestenbaum is a contributing editor and former staff writer for the Forward. Before this, he worked for The New York Times and newsrooms in Sana, Ramallah and Beijing. Contact him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter at @skestenbaum and on Instagram at @skestenbaum.