Auburn is not Berkeley

Some pictures from last night's visit by Richard Spencer.






Masks were visible, but Auburn Police did not let anyone wear them.




Saw lots of cameras.




"Roll Damn Equality."




Police presence.




Auburn brought in local police, sheriff, Montgomery police, and I even saw a friend who is retired Auburn PD, though not in uniform.




Local TV news cameras, pointed at the protest.  The people in the distance are in line to enter the auditorium.



Everyone going in was checked with a metal detector wand and all bags were searched.



Early protesters.



The line to get into the auditorium, at its longest.



Auburn Antifa, I think.  I also think this might be all of them.



"Stop making fast and furious movies."  Some people will protest anything...



...the other side of the sign read "1. Pour cereal.  2. Pour milk."  His buddy carried a sign that said "Bring back club penguin."



They got a decent chant going, but the drum was so loud I couldn't make out the words.









"Will trade racists for refugees."

Police presence.





At one point, the chant got loud enough that it attracted the attention of people in line.




They marched over behind the TV cameras, and gestured at the protesters.  One was wearing helmet and shield.




...and then they went back to standing in line.




The carrot dude.  He had a sign that said something like "I don't carrot all about your hate."




"Hate has no home here."




Police presence.




Waiting for the wand.





Flags and helmets outside the auditorium.








The press corner in the back of the room.





Right after I went in, a full squad of officers filed in and took up position in the corners of the room.




First time I've ever seen this Trump hat.






Standing ovation.



By the time Spencer got up to speak, the place was full.  Standing room only.  However, I received a text from my wife saying the local media pictures showed the room only half full.



A couple minutes in, and this gentleman stormed out, shouting "Not MY White!"



Thoughts...

The police presence was strong.  As I left, I saw police cars from Auburn, Montgomery, and Sheriff's office, plus two or three detention vans just waiting to be loaded up.  They were on the ball; they converged immediately on the one fight that broke out, and hauled two people away that I saw, one in a blue shirt.

There was a lot less shouting and heckling than I expected, too.  I think Auburn students in general paid a lot more respect and attention than Berkeley students would have, and I'm willing to bet that says a lot about the students here in Alabama as opposed to the ones on the left coast.

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