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The news out of Utah Valley University is ugly and predictable. Left-wing student groups are publicly planning to protest — and, by their own admission, try to disrupt — a private memorial being held by Turning Point USA to mark the anniversary of Charlie Kirk’s on-campus killing. A leaked audio clip attributed to a student press outlet reportedly captures an SDS leader saying protesters should “make it as uncomfortable as possible” for people trying to attend. That line should alarm anyone who believes in peaceful disagreement and rule of law.
What’s happening at UVU: the memorial and the announced protest
Turning Point USA is holding a ticketed memorial at the UCCU Center on campus. The group says the event will honor Charlie Kirk as a husband, father, and defender of free speech. The university has closed classes campus-wide for a day of “healing,” but allowed the private event to proceed in that venue.
Several student organizations — including the local Students for a Democratic Society chapter and other left-wing groups — have circulated fliers and a joint statement calling for protests outside the memorial. An audio clip, published by the student paper and picked up by other outlets, reportedly captures an SDS leader describing plans to “make it as uncomfortable as possible” for attendees. That audio is attributed to the student outlet and should be taken seriously even as reporters seek full verification.
Why this matters: free speech, mourning, and campus order
Memorials are meant for grieving and reflection. They are not an open invitation for political intimidation. Allowing private groups to assemble and mourn is a basic liberty. That liberty cuts both ways: it should protect conservative activists and their allies just as it does those on the left.
When student groups boast about shutting down another group’s memorial, they cross from protest into coercion. Colleges are supposed to be places where ideas clash peacefully — not where political teams try to drown out grief with raw hostility. If universities tolerate disruption, they are choosing chaos over civility.
The audio and the promise of disruption: politics over decency
The recorded remarks attributed to the SDS leader are the most disturbing element. Whether the clip’s full context changes the meaning or not, the phrase about making access “as uncomfortable as possible” reads like a plan to intimidate. That tactic is political theater, not protest; it treats grieving people as obstacles rather than human beings.
If this is what campus activism has become, then conservatives have every right to complain. Conservatives support peaceful protest. We do not support planned harassment at a memorial for a murdered man. That double standard is what fuels campus rage on both sides.
Administration, security, and the rule of law
UVU administrators face a clear duty: protect people who lawfully book a venue, preserve order, and ensure the campus is safe. Allowing a private event while closing classes was a reasonable step. But the university must also make clear that deliberate disruption will not be tolerated. That means strong security, clear enforcement, and swift consequences for anyone who breaks the law.
Turning Point says it will have a private, ticketed event and security in place. That’s a sensible plan. The university and local law enforcement should enforce peaceful protest boundaries, not wink at intimidation dressed up as activism.
Closing thoughts: defend decency and free speech
Campus politics have grown performative and mean-spirited. Students who want to protest should protest, but not by trampling someone else’s right to mourn. If UVU allows intimidation to stand, it will set a dangerous example: politics over decency, noise over free speech. Conservatives should defend the right of private groups to memorialize, demand fair enforcement from the university, and call out the bullying tactics masquerading as righteous protest. Colleges must be places where disagreement does not become harassment — or we all lose.
