The Federalist Society was set to do an event on October 7th with conservative writer and scholar Ilya Shapiro, but the school caved to ‘security concerns’ over possible protesters. It’s a classic case of the heckler’s veto.
Last week, leftists across the country claimed to be champions of free speech because they were outraged that Jimmy Kimmel might not get to continue hosting a TV show. Where are they now?
The Washington Free Beacon reported:
NYU Axes Federalist Society Event Scheduled for Oct. 7, Citing Security ConcernsNew York University Law School appears to have canceled a Federalist Society event scheduled for Oct. 7 because administrators feared that protesters would disrupt it, according to two people familiar with the matter and emails obtained by the Washington Free Beacon. The cancellation has raised concerns about the heckler’s veto and comes as the White House anti-Semitism task force has vowed to investigate NYU, which last year settled a lawsuit alleging that the university failed to crack down on unsanctioned anti-Israel protests.NYU’s Federalist Society chapter had invited the conservative legal scholar Ilya Shapiro to discuss his new book Lawless: The Miseducation of American Elites. Shapiro, who is Jewish, has criticized anti-Israel protesters and taken schools to task over their handling of encampments. He has also been the target of multiple campus protests, including one at UC Hastings, where he was shouted down for nearly an hour straight.On September 10, NYU requested that the Federalist Society change the date of Shapiro’s talk, citing the possibility of disruptions.”For security reasons, and because we anticipate an increased likelihood of demonstrations and protests connected to the anniversary of the October 7, 2023 incidents in Gaza, would it be possible to host Mr. Shapiro on another date?” the law school’s director of institutional programming and governance, Penelope Fernandes, wrote to student organizers. “If you can change the date, please let us know.”Fernandes also recommended hosting the talk in Lipton Hall, a basement space with added security, in order to “minimize disruptions in the event of a protest or demonstration.”
Shapiro has been down this road before. He reacted on Twitter/X:
This is why I roll my eyes every time the left suddenly rediscovers its reverence for free speech.
The College Fix notes the irony of canceling an event that is in part about cancel culture:
NYU law school cancels speech about cancel culture at elite law schoolsLegal scholar Ilya Shapiro will not be allowed to give his speech about cancel culture and wokeness at elite law schools after New York University’s law school refused to facilitate a room and security for the event.Shapiro planned to discuss his book “Lawless: The Miseducation of American Elites,” which discusses various cancel culture incidents at American law schools, including his own.However, NYU law school canceled the event, scheduled for October 7, due to security concerns. Oct. 7 is the two-year anniversary of when Hamas terrorists attacked innocent Israeli citizens. Shapiro is Jewish and supports Israel.
This classic tweet from Iowahawk about a different Shapiro sums up the situation perfectly.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL VERSION OF THIS STORY