South Carolina students oppose Kamala Harris ‘roast’ featuring far-right host

Students at the University of South Carolina are calling on their school to cancel a scheduled "roast" of Kamala Harris, an event they believe "encourages racism, homophobia, and sexism" on campus, especially as one of the speakers is the founder of the far-right Proud Boys.

The graphic posters advertising it refer to the vice-president and Democratic presidential nominee with a crude sexual insult, and although organizers present it as a "comedy", many view it as a subterfuge for spreading hateful and violent rhetoric. An online student petition condemning the event has received over 26,000 signatures.

The event will be hosted by Gavin McInnes, the founder of the Proud Boys, and is scheduled for 18 September on university grounds in downtown Columbia.

"When I initially learned of this, I was relatively unbothered, then I realized who the guest speakers were," said Nick Stewart, a sophomore studying media arts at the university.

"As someone who normally has a lot of school pride, this ordeal has made me feel ashamed of being a student at USC."

The roast was organized by the South Carolina chapter of Uncensored America, a nonpartisan organization fighting for freedom of speech. Uncensored America has a presence at several universities across the US and hosts "honest and fun conversations with controversial figures to fight censorship and cancel culture".

McInnes will be joined on stage by Milo Yiannopoulos, an extremist rightwing media personality also known for espousing misogynistic, racist, and transphobic ideologies.