Heated Exchanges But No Violence Reported Outside Summit In Tampa

TAMPA, FL — While thousands of conservative student activists cheered the words shared by some of the country's top conservative leaders, including former President Donald Trump, at Turning Point USA's 2022 Student Action Summit in the Tampa Convention Center, angry words were exchanged between young adults outside.

About 70 activists came out for a "Don't Facist Our Florida" protest organized by Florida For Change, Tampa Bay Community Action Committee and Women's Voices of SW Florida.

While there were heated exchanges between liberals demonstrating outside, conservatives attending the summit, a contingent of Tampa police were on hand to make sure violence didn't erupt.

Police kept an especially close eye on a group of neo-Nazis waving swastika-decorated flags and displaying posters with antisemitic messages. The neo-Nazis came to the demonstration uninvited and both summit attendees and protesters gave the group wide berth. Eventually, they peacefully left the area.

However, the Florida Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg was quick to respond to the presence of Nazi flags and antisemitic posters in neighboring downtown Tampa.

"Openly and proudly displaying genocidal symbols is a direct threat to the Jewish community," Florida Holocaust Museum chairman Mike Igel said in a statement. "Carrying the Nazi flag, or that of the SS, the unit responsible for some of the worst atrocities of the Holocaust, is an indefensible act of pure hatred."

Igel said these "chilling" antisemitic symbols are a reminder that hatred and prejudice persist in Tampa Bay.

"Today’s demonstration shows we have much work left to do," he said. "This isn’t about politics or religion. It’s about humanity. The Florida Holocaust Museum calls upon everyone, Jew and non-Jew, regardless of political affiliation, to condemn this blatant antisemitism in the strongest possible terms. This should matter to everyone."

See related stories:

• FL Gubernatorial Candidates Denounce Presence Of Neo-Nazis In Tampa
• Trump Gets Standing Ovation Following Speech At Student Youth Summit

Alex Stein of Dallas, Texas, who broadcasts the program, "Prime Time 99 Alex Stein," on Rumble and describes himself as a "professional troll," was escorted from the protest area by police after he grabbed signs away from pro-life demonstrators while shouting, "Baby killers. You guy murder babies." (see Facebook video below.)

Police also received a complaint that a threat was made against Women's Voices of Southwest Florida president and founder, Kate Danehy-Samitz.

Warning: These videos contain explicit language.