Fracas at Columbia

New York City

A near-riot broke out among Columbia University students last week at a speech by anti-immigration activist Jim Gilchrist. Gilchrist is the founder of the Minuteman Project, whose members voluntarily patrol the U.S.-Mexico border. He was two minutes into his speech when protestors from the audience, including members of the school’s Chicano Caucus, rushed the stage. Some of Gilchrist’s student supporters in the audience did the same, and the two sides began to brawl. At least one student was hurt before police cleared the room. Gilchrist was invited to speak at Columbia by the campus Republican club.