Hunter
09/22/22
A University of Iowa student has been arrested after causing a disturbance at a conservative non-profit organization’s event at the Iowa Memorial Union earlier this week.
The Daily Iowan reports that Benny Johnson, a media personality affiliated with Turning Point USA and 2009 UI graduate, was presenting the Meme Wars Tour to the organization on campus Tuesday night. The host of The Benny Show on Newsmax was showing an illegal immigration meme video featuring Vice President Kamala Harris when 19-year-old Travell Wright is seen on a Twitter video rushing in, kicking the projector off the stand, yelling obscenities at Johnson, and leaving the room.
Johnson issued a series of tweets, including the video of the incident, saying that “A Kamala Harris Meme TRIGGERED the violent LIBS so band they ATTACKED the *projector* and SMASHED it to pieces.”
Johnson then tweeted a video of Wright being arrested by University of Iowa Police.
In an email statement to the Daily Iowan, UI Public Relations Manager Chris Brewer said that all registered student organizations and their activities are protected under the First Amendment, as well as all speakers on campus. There was no comment on whether the school plans to investigate the incident any further.
A search of Iowa Courts shows that Wright pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors; disorderly conduct and 5th degree Criminal Mischief. He was fined $105 for each count.
