Wintrich’s Case Highlights Mounting Problems that the Conservative Right Faces on Campuses Nationwide
In yet another case of anti-right angst on a U.S. campus, conservative pundit Lucian Wintrich has been arrested while speaking at his own function. Wintrich isn’t just another faceless voice with a microphone; he’s the chief White House correspondent for Gateway Pundit, a popular daily blog catering to conservatives.
Wintrich was speaking at the University of Connecticut (UConn), having been invited by UConn College Republicans. The title of his speech was “It’s OK to Be White,” which was guaranteed to rankle many college liberals. Mission accomplished.
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As we can see from the videos below, the incident was instigated by a student, who appeared to grab a paper off of Wintrich’s podium (speaking notes?). In response, Wintrich allegedly assaulted the student by physically handling her in an attempt to retrieve his stolen paper. Watch:
BREAKING: @lucianwintrich appears to attack a @UCONN student during speech after she took something off podium. pic.twitter.com/WAcNYAak7c
— Kevin Galliford (@KallMeKG) November 29, 2017
The arrest came shortly thereafter as two police officers apprehended and escorted Wintrich through the exit doors.
#BREAKING @UConn cops just arrested @lucianwintrich for assaulting a student during his “It’s ok to be White” speech. Cops have cleared the lecture hall. @WTNH #CTnews pic.twitter.com/ZRmNT0SOo4
— Mario Boone (@MarioBooneTV) November 29, 2017
From there, police hauled Wintrich down to the county jail for booking. Buzzfeed News reported that Wintrich was charged with breach of peace and was released on $1,000 bail. This was later confirmed by UConn spokesperson Stephanie Reitz, who said “I can confirm that the speaker has been arrested and he is in police custody”. (Source: “WATCH: Lucian Wintrich Arrested After UConn Speech,” Heavy, November 28, 2017.)
Did Lucian Wintrich Commit Assault?
According to the law, Wintrich’s assault charge isn’t a cut-and-dry offense. That’s because defense of property laws grant individuals the right to use reasonable force to defend their property.
Where it gets murky is on the subject of personal belongings. That’s where the law is more divided. Traditionally, defense of property laws have been more concrete in situations where force is used to defend a home or dwelling. The defense of personal property is more unclear. If property is stolen directly from an individual, the theft victim may retain the right to use “reasonable force” to retrieve it. But that decision will be at the judge’s sole discretion.
Either way, this case highlights the growing divide between conservatives and liberals on campus. The days when education centers were a bastion of free speech have long since passed in modern-day America. Milo Yiannopoulos, Richard Spencer, Ben Shapiro—and now Lucian Wintrich—have all been shut down or partially silenced.
I’m not sure where it will end, but the first amendment looks like an antiqued footnote on University campuses by the day.
