Stanford protesters set fire to flyers advertising conservative Matt Walsh’s speech; Eventbrite cancels tickets to Walsh event

Stanford protesters set fire to flyers advertising conservative Matt Walsh’s speech; Eventbrite cancels tickets to Walsh event

Conservative Matt Walsh was slated to speak at Stanford University on March 1.

But flyers advertising the event have been set on fire by protesters, and event management company Eventbrite has removed the speech’s ticketing page, forcing organizers to set up a new ticketing platform at the last minute.

Walsh’s speech criticizes transgender ideology, which apparently makes it taboo to Eventbrite, which does not mind radically left-wing ideology. Yesterday, Young Americans for Freedom, which is hosting the event, wrote:

Over the weekend, leading event management platform Eventbrite once again demonstrated its intolerance for conservative events by taking down the ticketing page for Young America’s Foundation’s Wednesday evening lecture featuring Matt Walsh at Stanford University.

Hundreds of registered attendees were surprised to receive emails from the company informing them that their tickets had been canceled.

When a Stanford student organizer asked an Eventbrite customer service representative why the tickets were canceled, she responded, “It does actually violate our Terms of Service. It does not mean you cannot host the event, however, you can no longer ticket for it via Eventbrite.”

This is far from the first time that Eventbrite has discriminated against events featuring Matt Walsh and his groundbreaking documentary, What is a Woman?

In November, they did the exact same thing to a ticketing page for Walsh’s YAF tour stop at the University of California, Berkeley. They’ve also taken down pages advertising independent screenings of his documentary by conservative campus groups and a community parent association.

The Stanford student senate gave thousands of dollars to protesters against Walsh’s speech.

“Remarkably, in a country founded on the principles of free speech and expression, some still think they control what others can see and hear. Fortunately, they’re wrong,” says YAF spokesman Michael McGonigle. “It’s easier to burn posters than show up and engage in a respectful exchange of ideas—perhaps out of fear they may agree with what they hear.”

Walsh’s speech is co-sponsored by YAF and the Stanford College Republicans. The College Republicans posted images of posters for Walsh’s event set ablaze. “With @MattWalshBlog coming to Stanford March 1st, Leftists are losing their minds. Just last night leftists made the point by TORCHING our flyers. As we gear up for @MattWalshBlog’s upcoming campus lecture, we are reminded that some Stanford students absolutely despise freedom of speech. In nearly every dormitory on campus, flyers advertising this event have been vandalized, removed and destroyed by Marxist students.”

The Stanford Daily, Stanford’s independent student newspaper, published an op-ed by Ava Aidala last Tuesday that contained an image of flaming posters for the Walsh event. The author called Walsh a “primary propagandist” for the “looming erasure” of trans people.

“Matt Walsh must not speak on campus,” Aidala demanded. “This is not a question of freedom of speech, but one of the lives of our queer and trans students.”

“[Q]ueer students of campus, like many before us, must take our safety into our own hands. For those worried or scared, Queer Student Resources (QSR) will be open, providing a safe place for students during the event. And for those angry, don’t be afraid to make your voice heard (just make sure to keep yourself safe). Whatever it takes, Matt Walsh must not be platformed here.”

LU Staff

LU Staff

Promoting and defending liberty, as defined by the nation’s founders, requires both facts and philosophical thought, transcending all elements of our culture, from partisan politics to social issues, the workings of government, and entertainment and off-duty interests. Liberty Unyielding is committed to bringing together voices that will fuel the flame of liberty, with a dialogue that is lively and informative.

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