In August 2020, 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse shot and killed two protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and injured a third. He claimed self-defense. Then, in fall 2021, he was acquitted of criminal accusations in a controversial, heated trial, and became a hero of far-right politicians and Second Amendment advocates.
Now, Rittenhouse is set to speak at the University of Memphis.
What University of Memphis says
The event is being hosted by the student chapter of the conservative nonprofit Turning Point USA and is slated to be held on March 20. Though Rittenhouse’s scheduled appearance has sparked outrage in the community, U of M has maintained that it is legally required to allow him to speak.
A spokesperson provided the following statement:
“The upcoming event at the University of Memphis featuring Kyle Rittenhouse is not sponsored by the University. A registered student organization, University of Memphis TPUSA, is hosting the event. Under the First Amendment and Tennessee’s Campus Free Speech Act, the University of Memphis cannot legally prohibit such events from being hosted by a registered student organization.”