Where was the alt-right?
There were as few as a dozen white supremacists present.
Inside the Richard Spencer's speech at the University of Florida, protesters against Spencer were the majority among a small group of a dozen white supremacists. After a declared state of emergency and 500,000 dollars spent in security, we are left to ask where exactly Richard Spencer's followers were?
The streets around the Philips Center were flooded with protesters for hours before the event who were all supporting a message of love and acceptance. Many of these protesters were students, despite relative discomfort and fear for their safety. It was extremely rare to see any outspoken white supremacists, and the media flocked to the very few who were there.
Richard Spencer had an audience of people who didn't conform to his ideas. On top of having a majority of protesters, the auditorium was half-empty. Spencer accredited the lack of his followers to the protesters allegedly "scaring them away". This speech at the University of Florida varies greatly from that at institutions such as Auburn University, which in comparison appeared relatively quiet and was full of sitting attendees.
The Q&A may has well have been a roast –Spencer was mauled by jokes and obvious flaws in his logic. His speech was little more than comedic rambling. Spencer ended his speech early around 4:10 p.m. when it was scheduled to last until 4:30 p.m.
We spoke to some of the protesters and students who came out to show their determinism for love and acceptance to shine over hate.