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By Aiden Pink March 2, 2018

Michigan State University reached an agreement with white supremacist Richard Spencer to allow him to hold a speaking event on its property — but it will be in a farmyard barn more than a mile from the main campus.

MSU reached an agreement in January with Spencer’s sponsor, Georgia State University student Cameron Padgett, to allow Spencer to speak at the Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education on March 5. Padgett has sued or threatened to sue multiple public universities on First Amendment grounds to force them to allow Spencer to speak there.

The university’s website claims that the pavilion includes barnyard stalls as well as an auditorium that is “used for livestock auctions and large meetings.”

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Padgett had originally requested to speak at a conference center on the main campus, but the university denied his request, citing security concerns. Spencer’s talks have been the site of large protests and counter-protests. The University of Florida spent about $600,000 on security when Spencer visited in October. Three people were arrested there and charged with attempted homicide after allegedly shooting at counter-protesters.

Spencer recently called off a speech planned for next month at the University of Cincinnati, which was to be held during the school’s spring break.

Contact Aiden Pink at pink@forward.com or on Twitter, @aidenpink

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