- The group’s intentions to honor Charlie Kirk and hold debates were overshadowed by the backlash against slogans like ‘DEI should be illegal’ and ‘Deport all illegals now!’ — leading to their escort from campus by police.
- The Nashville NAACP criticized the group’s actions as a deliberate attempt to disrupt a safe space for black students
- TSU President Dwayne Tucker announced an investigation into how the group accessed the campus, indicating plans for discussions with students about the incident.
A conservative “Fearless Debate” group was removed from Tennessee State University on Tuesday amid an uproar in which students surrounded the group and aggressively taunted, surrounded, and yelled at them, videos show.
The group states they wanted to honor Charlie Kirk’s memory by having debates on college campuses, but critics say their unapproved visit, Make America Great Again hats, and inflammatory language — “DEI should be illegal” and “Deport all illegals now! Let’s talk” — was to blame for the raucous reaction at the HBCU.
News 5 Nashville reported that campus police “escorted the group from university grounds. TSU said its students acted ‘professionally and respectfully’ during the encounter. Social media videos showed TSU students shouting, filming, taking their signs, and following the group as they were led away.”
The Nashville chapter of the NAACP called the incident “an intentional effort to antagonize, disrupt and instill fear in a space meant to be safe and supportive for Black students.”