TPUSA chapter event with Benny Johnson disrupted by a student's violent outburst

At the University of Iowa (UI) on Tuesday, a male student kicked a projector and shouted obscenities during a Turning Point USA chapter event with TPUSA contributor Benny Johnson.  

UI’s TPUSA chapter Secretary Cristina Carthey identified the man as Travell Wright, a student at UI. 

The video shows Johnson and UI students watching a viral video of Kamala Harris exclaiming “Oh my god, I love it” as a bus pulls up outside her home with a mariachi band. The meme is a nod to the Vice President’s handling of the border crisis. 

While the meme is playing, Wright runs up to the front of the room and kicks the projector off the stand, shutting down the presentation. 

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He then proceeded to walk around the room shouting, “Racist a** sh**! F**k you! I swear to f**king god!” After the outburst, the man left the room. 

Iowa TPUSA Field Representative Lindsay Johnson told Campus Reform Wright and his group of friends had a history of harassing the chapter. 

“So last night, when that same student and his friends entered our event, we were reason[ably] worried and called the campus police, letting them know they were there,” Johnson said. 

Another video obtained by Campus Reform shows Wright handcuffed and escorted to a police car by four campus police officers. 

“Benny incredibly finished his speech and from what I understand, talked kindly with many of the more left-leaning students afterward,” Johnson explained. “The student was arrested that night with a misdemeanor for the destruction of property. We have a meeting today with the university to discuss what happened and how to ensure students’ safety in the future.”

Campus Reform received a statement from The Benny Show regarding the incident.

“We often say The Left CAN’T MEME. Tonight we proved it,” the statement read. “The 1st Amendment is under attack constantly from the Left. It survived-this time. The Left Can’t Meme.”

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Carthey told Campus Reform the meme was “pure humor” and that as a Latina “I was not offended.”

“People like Travell assume that we are offended,” Carthey said. “He must not have a sense of humor. I now have a target on my back and I’m afraid to walk on campus.”

TPUSA chapter president Lena Branch echoed concerns regarding safety.

“After this event, I am nervous to be on campus because I don't know what they'll do,” Branch explained. “And I also fear for our members. I don't want them to be attacked or targeted for simply attending an event or one of our meetings. Conservatives shouldn't be targeted for going to events and expressing their beliefs.”  

Johnson confirmed that the police were still investigating and noted that after a meeting with the university, action is being taken. 

“Because of confidentiality laws, [the university] cannot reveal what disciplinary actions are being taken against the student, although there have been rumors that he has been expelled.” 

Campus Reform reached out to UI, Johnson, and the Iowa City Police for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.

Follow @kliseanderson on Twitter.