As representatives for Richard Spencer move forward with a lawsuit against The Ohio State University, other colleges are considering similar requests for him to speak on their campuses.
On Thursday, Michigan State University settled a lawsuit from Spencer鈥檚 associates and signed a deal that would allow the white nationalist to speak on campus on March 5, during spring break. But he鈥檒l be away from the center of campus, at the livestock pavilion auditorium.
Cameron Padgett, a Georgia college student who is organizing Spencer鈥檚 college tour, must pay $1,650 and provide at least $2 million in liability insurance. Michigan State will arrange for police, and had to pay for Padgett鈥檚 attorney fees.
Earlier this month, Padgett and lawyer Kyle Bristow filed a for what they say are excessive security fees for Spencer鈥檚 appearance there, which was . University officials told Padgett the total cost would be $11,333, most of which comes from 鈥渟ecurity costs and fees.鈥�
"Spencer was not invited or sponsored by any member of the university community, and like other non-sponsored speakers, he must pay a fee to rent university space,鈥� said university spokesperson Greg Vehr. 鈥淭his includes a security fee.鈥�
The lawsuit calls the university鈥檚 criteria 鈥渇acially unconstitutional,鈥� saying it鈥檚 a free speech violation. A previous speech by Spencer at the University of Florida cost the school about $600,000 in security costs.
Padgett also requested space for a speech at Kent State on the May 4, the anniversary of the Ohio National Guard shootings. That鈥檚 the date, nearly 48 years ago, when national guardsmen fired into a crowd protesting the Vietnam War and killed four students.
Kent State is reviewing the request.
Meanwhile, a pretrial conference for Padgett鈥檚 lawsuit against Ohio State was schedule for Thursday at the district courthouse in Columbus. Ohio State to rent space on campus, citing 鈥渟ubstantial risk to public safety.鈥� In response, Padgett and Bristow sued, seeking $75,000 and an injunction to let Spencer speak.
Bristow did not return a request for comment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
