A speech by immigration hawk and former Republican Presidential candidate Tom Tancredo ended abruptly Tuesday night at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, after the event degenerated into a brief verbal confrontation between student activists and Tancredo himself, and culminated with a protester shattering a window.
Police came in and reportedly used pepper spray to clear the room, but no injuries were reported.
During the 2008 presidential election, Tancredo, then a Colorado congressman, was a one-issue candidate. His campaign slogan was "Secure the borders. Deport those who don't belong. Make sure they never come back."
In 2005, Tancredo authored a bill that included tighter border controls and employer penalties but no path to citizenship. He also has stirred controversy with respect to Muslims, saying in 2007 that a good way to deter a nuclear attack by terrorists is to threaten to retaliate by bombing Islamic holy sites such as Mecca and Medina.
Tancredo was invited to speak by a group on campus that opposes mass immigration and multiculturalism, according to the Associated Press.
On Tuesday night, he intended to talk about his opposition to in-state tuition for illegal immigrants. His speech in front of about 150 people was just getting underway when two protesters unfurled a banner in front of him reading "No one is illegal."
An awkward confrontation ensued, with Tancredo gripping the banner in both hands in attempt to tear it away.
"No, that's not fair," he said.
As Tancredo and the group of protesters began arguing, someone broke a window and Tancredo fled the room. In his absence people began shouting and milling about, prompting several police officers to clear the room.
Tuesday's meltdown prompted a statement of regret from Chancellor Holden Thorp.
''We pride ourselves on being a place where all points of view can be expressed and heard, so I'm disappointed that didn't happen tonight,'' Thorp said, according to AP
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