Conservative public speaker Ben Shapiro will speak at the University of Wisconsin Nov. 6. Shapiro is one of the creators of Daily Wire, a media company that provides counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion and entertainment and host of The Ben Shapiro Show.
Shapiro will speak at Shannon Hall in Memorial Union, as part of the Young America’s Foundation’s Free to Choose Lecture Series. Following his talk, Shapiro will participate in a Q&A discussion with audience members.
Shapiro last appeared on the UW campus in 2016, when demonstrators organized to show opposition to his event titled “Dismantling Safe Spaces: Facts Don’t Care About Your Feelings.”
At Shapiro’s 2016 event, protestors formed a line in front of the stage and filled the room with loud yelling. Following the event, UW released a statement, saying it worked to ensure the event would provide a forum for both the speaker and those who held opposing views.
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Shapiro’s scheduled visit comes after right-wing commentator Matt Walsh spoke on campus October 2022 in an event also organized by YAF. Walsh appeared on campus to show his film “What is a Woman?” which elicited protest on campus.
Findings from a 2022 free speech survey conducted across UW System schools showed conservative students feel higher levels of hesitancy to share unpopular opinions in classrooms on campus. Some experts questioned the use of survey results in future policy, due to the complexity of the First Amendment law not being fully accounted for in the survey. UW News said these survey findings reinforce the importance of ongoing efforts to support free speech on campus.
Registration for Shapiro’s event is closed, but open seats will be made available 30 minutes prior to the event’s start at 7 p.m. The talk will also be live streamed on the YAFTV YouTube channel.
