‘Tolerant’ Left Obstruct RFK Jr. Event

Ben Tumulty, Ireland - writer

In the days leading up to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s much-anticipated appearance at George Washington University, several left-wing student organizations engaged in protests, online attacks, and attempted disruptions.

On Thursday, November 13, the George Washington College Republicans and Turning Point USA at Foggy Bottom posted the official announcement for the event. However, satirical campus news page The GW Foghorn had already found out and posted anti-RFK content in anticipation of the announcement, labeling the event as a "Biggest Idiot" competition. The Foghorn and other campus groups then encouraged students to mass-purchase tickets and boycott, in order to block others from attending. 

It was shortly after the GWCR's post went live that the student group GW Democracy Matters publicly announced plans for a protest and stated that they intended to prevent Kennedy from coming to campus.

Democracy Matters proudly describes itself as a nonpartisan organization, but on closer inspection, it is anything but. Their posts range from anti-Republican sentiments to downright disdain for President Trump, a direct contradiction of their stated beliefs. The organization, in its own words, claims to be against financial monopolies in politics, but protested strongly against Kennedy, who in reality has been tackling the influence of pharmaceutical companies in U.S. politics.

The GW College Democrats, self-described champions of free speech, tolerance, and inclusivity, also announced their intention to stop Kennedy from coming to campus - despite presenting themselves in the very same statement as an organization committed to open dialogue and hosting varied speakers.

Following the announcements, known GW students began posting abusive comments across social media, including derogatory, doctored images of the late Charlie Kirk and attacks on the personal accounts of those running the event. Comments online also included insults directed at another event member based on his appearance.

Other comments stated "F*ck RFK," and labelled the students organizing the event as "white nationalist fascists." The school's independent, student-run newspaper, The GW Hatchet, remained silent on this matter and promoted stories about the protests, despite also claiming to be a non-partisan outlet.

GW Law professor and former Trump administration official Jonathan Turley said the protestors "demand the right to protest against Kennedy's views, but also demand that he and others be denied the right to express them."

Turley’s comments came as comedian Jimmy Kimmel mocked the event at GW live on his show. Kimmel, whose own television ratings are at an all-time low, insisted that Kennedy was being “kept around to make Trump look coherent”.  ​

Turley believes that the students should be held accountable for their actions. "What is chilling is the comfort so many on this campus have with the open hypocrisy of demanding free speech in order to call for the denial of the same right to others."

On the day of the event, several student groups,  including GW Democracy Matters, the GW College Democrats, and a campus pro-Palestine organization, gathered outside Lisner Auditorium to protest Kennedy’s visit. An initial group sat outside the venue early in the afternoon, followed by a larger demonstration of roughly 50 students later that day.

Nonetheless, Kennedy’s Q&A was a spectacular success and triumphed in the face of censorship. The event reached an estimated 1,500 students, journalists and community members. It has been hailed as a huge success.

Prior to the event’s start, two left-wing activists, one of whom identified himself as the Chairman of GW Democracy Matters, were seen vandalising the exterior of Lisner Auditorium. GWPD intervened, and the individuals involved were made to clean the vandalism before being released.