Tuesday afternoon, the University of Utah sent out a reminder to those attending the lecture by Ben Shapiro, editor of the ultra-conservative Daily Wire website — leave your masks and weapons at home.
Areas around the building where Shapiro is scheduled to speak Wednesday will be blocked off. There will be a heightened police presence in the anticipation of protests, counter-protests and, potentially, violence.
And it’s not without good reason. When Shapiro spoke at the University of California, Berkeley earlier this month, there were days of protests by students who wanted the event cancelled. An estimated $600,000 was spent on security.