On May 9, 2025, Charlie Kirk, conservative right-wing media personality and founder of Turning Point USA (TPUSA), hosted his “The American Comeback Tour” at the University of California, Riverside (UCR).
Amassing a crowd of students, community members, supporters and protestors, Kirk set up outside the Bell Tower to “debate conventional narratives promoted by leftist academia” and “provide students of all viewpoints the opportunity to discuss important subjects.”
Kirk and his team selected students to step up to the microphone and ask him questions on abortion rights, immigration, the value of higher education and more. He has already posted multiple videos on Instagram of UCR students debating with him — one in which he argued with a student about being “pro-Nazi,” and another where he posed the question, “Would you rather save 100 dogs or a baby?” during a discussion about abortion rights.
In addition to the provocative topics, a sea of Make America Great Again (MAGA) merchandise was on display, including red MAGA hats, miniature crosses, posters referencing Christianity, American flags and numerous cowboy boots — many worn by community members from the region who attended the event. The entire scene was a spectacle of showboating and rage-baiting, capitalizing on students’ concerns about the current political climate and their frustration with President Donald J. Trump’s policies.
Kirk’s tactics — baiting students and clipping videos to gain social media views — were predictable. However, what was truly disappointing was the lack of support and protection students received from university administrators and the weak response from the Associated Students of UCR (ASUCR), the representatives who are supposed to advocate for the student body.
From hosting events at San Francisco State University to UC San Diego and UCR, Kirk’s “The American Comeback Tour” is designed to provoke students on California campuses, particularly at universities that do not receive as many politically charged and controversial events as colleges like UC Los Angeles and UC Berkeley. This made the event at UCR feel even more disruptive and out of place, as Kirk’s ideals and beliefs do not reflect the viewpoints of the entire UCR student body and community.
Instead, his event revealed an uncomfortable realization about the political makeup of the Inland Empire, a “purple” region where 41 percent of Riverside and San Bernardino county voters are Democrats, 31 percent are Republicans and 22 percent have no party preference, according to a 2020 California Secretary of State report. Since many people in the crowd were from outside the university, some of whom brought their children and grandchildren, it is for this reason that Kirk’s event on campus — a place where events are meant primarily to serve UCR members — should not have been permitted.
While it is true that the university cannot censor viewpoints and must facilitate free speech, as outlined in its updated “Time, Place and Manner” policy, Kirk’s event should qualify as hate speech due to its offensive and hurtful rhetoric targeting immigration, race and LGBTQ+ rights.
With nearly half of the undergraduate student population at UCR identifying as Hispanic or Latino, and many being first-generation students, Kirk’s inflammatory remarks about immigration are hate speech towards these UCR students and undocumented individuals on campus. Additionally, students who build community in Costo Hall, including people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals and women, were forced to experience unsafe environments and hateful rhetoric about their identities.
UCR’s Principles of Community states that “free speech applies to clothing and signs as well as what someone verbally says.” Much of the clothing and signs brought to the event could qualify as offensive to many people, particularly those related to uncomfortable fundamentalist Christian themes and anti-abortion rights. The fact that UCR administrators prioritized Kirk’s hate speech over ensuring their students’ physical and mental safety is simply unacceptable.
Setting aside the hate speech of Kirk’s event, the university’s planning of his visit was mishandled. UCR administration should have designated a space where Kirk could host the event without interrupting campus life and informed students about his presence in advance. By allowing Kirk, his team and supporters to set up in a central campus location at the Bell Tower, UCR failed to protect its students who were unaware the event was happening that day and forced to walk past or be exposed to it on their way to class.
The university was aware of Kirk’s tour at UCR but did not notify students, particularly those who may have felt more targeted by his presence. Rather than sending an email warning students about his visit, providing information about available supportive services and being transparent about why Kirk’s tour is allowed on campus under UCR’s “Time, Place, and Manner” policy, students were left completely in the dark.
In fact, many people mistakenly believed that the Associated Student Program Board (ASPB), the campus organization responsible for producing and presenting events for students, was behind Kirk’s visit. In the future, the UCR administration must be more communicative and transparent with students about these events, regardless of the political side they represent.
In the absence of university leadership, however, the responsibility falls on ASUCR — the representatives who advocate for UCR students’ interests — and requires them to step up. The day before Kirk’s event, the ASUCR Office of External Affairs issued a statement encouraging the campus community to “choose non-engagement as an act of resistance,” and to “not engage with the Turning Point chapter or Charlie Kirk.”
However, some students still chose to protest near the Bell Tower during his visit. On the Watkins Hall lawn, students standing hand in hand formed a protective circle, wearing t-shirts with statements such as “Bold hearts at play, brilliant minds in action,” “No one is illegal on stolen land,” “Abolish ICE” and “Community over everything” to peacefully protest Kirk.
The music production group Tears of the Angelic also attempted to host a punk show by the Bell Tower, but was stopped by the UC Police Department (UCPD), who detained one of their members. They later tried to perform at Aberdeen-Inverness (AI) Knoll but were forced to pack up their musical equipment and leave campus.
Kirk’s presence on the UCR campus, which is a minority-serving institution, poses a direct threat to the physical and mental safety of many students. The last-minute social media post by ASUCR, made the day before the event, was both irresponsible and disappointing. Many students rely on their student government for information about campus events, and the lack of timely communication is concerning. Furthermore, the ASUCR Office of External Affairs statement did not mention Costo Hall or provide information on where students can seek support at those centers based on their specific needs.
Non-engagement is not strategic — it is complicity. The ASUCR Office of External Affairs had sufficient time and resources to organize and promote a meaningful counter demonstration, but chose not to. Even if they did not want to engage directly with Kirk, they could have supported students who did, including those participating in the Tears of the Angelic show and “the community event” organized by students. A single, vague statement is a half-hearted approach and does little to support the student body.
As hate speech becomes increasingly common under a second Trump administration, it is crucial that UCR’s administration prioritize its students’ interests and that ASUCR fully uses its platform to take action and advocate for students. Kirk’s event made it clear that there are individuals in the region and on campus who support his ideology and beliefs. UCR, as a campus community, must take a public stance against this kind of hateful rhetoric.
The Highlander editorials reflect the majority view of the Highlander Editorial Board. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Associated Students of UCR or the University of California system.
