Texas A&M cancels white nationalist event over Charlottesville violence

Aug. 15 (UPI) -- Texas A&M University canceled an event for Sept. 11 that had been scheduled by white nationalist Preston Wiginton, a school statement said.

The university cited "concerns about the safety of its students, faculty, staff and the public" after Saturday's protests and counter-protests in Charlottesville, Va., resulted in one woman's death when she was run over by a vehicle.

The A&M statement, issued Monday, noted that Wiginton promoted his Sept. 11 visit to College Station, Texas, with a notification to the media headlined "Today Charlottesville, Tomorrow Texas A&M."

"Linking the tragedy of Charlottesville with the Texas A&M event creates a major security risk on our campus," the school said. "Additionally, the daylong event would provide disruption to our class schedules and to student, faculty and staff movement (both bus system and pedestrian)."

Wiginton, a former Texas A&M student, said his rally would be held outdoors and on campus at the school's Rudder Plaza since none of the school's student organizations invited him. An invitation is a precondition at Texas A&M for an event to be held in an indoor facility.

The school's invitation policy has been in place since white supremacist Richard Spencer spoke at the school in December.