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White Nationalist Group Threatens to Sue UF Over Rally Cancellation

V@s via Flickr

The University of Florida is cancelling a rally scheduled for September led by white nationalist Richard Spencer. But one of Spencer's supporters may be willing to take that up in court.

UF President Kent Fuchs released a statement Wednesday calling Spencer's rhetoric racist and repugnant. In that statement, Fuchs says the university decided to cancel the event due to safety concerns for the students on campus.

But Cameron Padgett, who helped organize the event, is threatening the university with a lawsuit to allow Spencer to speak. Padgett filed a similar lawsuit against Auburn University earlier this year, and won

Padgett says the university should be held to the same standard as Auburn.

"They're assuming it's going to be a big protest, but they have every obligation to protect us. And we were willing to pay for security just like we were at Auburn", said Padgett.

UF spokesperson Janine Sikes says the university is ready to go to court as well and is preparing for any outcome of potential lawsuits.

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Morgan McMullen is WUSF’s Stephen Noble Intern for Summer 2017. He is a senior at the University of Florida pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism with a concentration in American history. He graduated from Broward College in Davie with an associate degree while writing for The Observer, earning an FSCPA award for his news reporting. He currently writes for the Independent Florida Alligator as a sports reporter. Morgan takes particular interest in covering the social issues that surround sports. He draws inspiration from the writing styles of Bomani Jones and Bob Ryan
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