White nationalist Richard Spencer says violence not what he wanted
(WJBK) - Anger boiled over Monday as protesters clashed with each other and police on the campus of Michigan State over a speech by white nationalist Richard Spencer.
Fox 2 spoke exclusively with Spencer a day after chaos and violence between his supporters and protesters at MSU.
He says his followers came in peace to watch him speak at Michigan State University but were forced to defend themselves. Whoever threw the first punch - two dozen people were hauled off in handcuffs.
Tension between protesters and Richard Spencer's alt-right followers turned to violence.
"The idea is to give a speech and engage with the community," Spencer said in a phone interview. "The idea is not to be greeted with a riot."
Spencer says that violence is not what he wanted.
"I've actually done this rather successfully at Texas A&M and Auburn, there were no injuries where I was speaking," he said.
He considers himself Identitarian - which many say he's a white supremacist. The opposers who blocked off the Michigan State University pavilion where Spencer was speaking this week are anti-fascist or Antifa.
Spencer says this isn't the first time the group has tried to quiet his message.
"I told them explicitly is there's really no honor in brawling with Antifa who are a bunch of nasty gutter punks," Spencer said.
He's been on a university tour. MSU opened their doors only after a lawsuit was filed against them alleging free speech violations for denying an earlier request to rent space on campus.
The University of Michigan was going to be next on his list in the state. But after the chaos in East Lansing he's rethinking future plans.
"I think most likely we are going to find a different kind of solution for this problem," he said.
A university spokesperson with U-M says they continue to consider a request from Spencer but no dates are on the books before the end of the school year.
If he comes to Ann Arbor, it's clear police and university officials better be prepared.