Feminist video game critic receives death threats, cancels Utah State lecture citing lax gun laws

LOGAN, Utah, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Citing the state's concealed carry laws, Feminist video game critic Anita Sarkeesian canceled a speaking engagement at Utah State University Wednesday after the school received an email threatening "the deadliest school shooting in American history" if Sarkeesian was allowed to speak.

The letter writer claimed to be a student and threatened violence against Sarkeesian and anyone who attended her lecture.

"I have at my disposal a semi-automatic rifle, multiple pistols, and a collection of pipe bombs," the letter read.

"One way or another, I'm going to make sure they die," the letter writer promised of faculty, staff, and attendees to Sarkeesian's appearance at the University's women's center.

"I will write my manifesto in her spilled blood, and you will all bear witness to what feminist lies and poison have done to the men of America," the letter concluded.

Sarkeesian is no stranger to death threats. A feminist writer who's made her brand criticizing sexist tropes in video games on her blog Feminist Frequencies, Sarkeesian has been embroiled of late in a scandal referred to as Gamer Gate, a violent backlash against feminists speaking out against misogyny in the gaming industry that has included harassment, threats of violence, and doxing, the releasing of personal information as a means of attack.

Multiple specific threats made stating intent to kill me & feminists at USU. For the record one threat did claim affiliation with #gamergate

— Feminist Frequency (@femfreq) October 15, 2014

Sarkeesian has received threats before and even accepted an award last year despite the ceremony receiving bomb threats directed towards her. This time was different, she said on her Twitter feed, because the university and law enforcement couldn't assure her no guns would be allowed in the venue.

To be clear: I didn't cancel my USU talk because of terrorist threats, I canceled because I didn't feel the security measures were adequate.

— Feminist Frequency (@femfreq) October 15, 2014

"We were going to not allow bags in at all," Tim Vitale, a spokesman for the University said. "We added officers, both uniform and undercover, and we were going to empty the room and sweep the room [for bombs]."

But Sarkeesian balked when the school declined to use metal detectors or enact any sort of firearms ban in the lecture space because Utah State is a publicly funded university and state law permits the carrying of concealed weapons on college campuses with the proper permits.

Forced to cancel my talk at USU after receiving death threats because police wouldn't take steps to prevent concealed firearms at the event.

— Feminist Frequency (@femfreq) October 15, 2014

The University and local law enforcement are working with the FBI's cyberterrorism task force and behavioral analysis unit to track down the author of the letter.

"I'm safe. I will continue my work. I will continue speaking out. The whole game industry must stand up against the harassment of women," Sarkeesian tweeted.