Steve Bannon To Speak At University Of Chicago, Protests Begin

CHICAGO, IL - The University of Chicago has invited former White House chief strategist and far-right wing figure Steve Bannon to speak during a planned debate on globalization and immigration. Bannon has accepted the invitation, according to the school's student-run newspaper The Chicago Maroon, and the backlash has already begun with students and others holding a protest at the university Thursday morning.

Bannon was invited to speak at the debate by Booth School of Business Professor Luigi Zingales, according to the Maroon. Zingales is planning to moderate the debate at a venue and time that has not yet been determined.

"Professor Luigi Zingales of the Booth School of Business is planning an event with the tentative format of a debate on subjects including the economic benefits of globalization and immigration, and has invited Steve Bannon, former chief strategist and senior adviser in the Trump administration, to debate an expert in the field, with Zingales serving as moderator," a statement from the University of Chicago reads in part.

Several students and organizations took part in a protest outside Booth Thursday morning asking the university to rescind its invitation to Bannon.

Here with @UChicagoYDSA and various other orgs bright and early protesting Steve Bannon's invitation to University of Chicago. @UChicago , we are calling on you to #disinvite Steve Bannon. pic.twitter.com/CZhXua75fW
— Ugo Okere (@UgoOkere40) January 25, 2018

Political science professor Cathy Cohen was one of several faculty members to sign a letter asking President Robert Zimmer and Provost Daniel Diermeier to rescind the school's invitation.

“With Bannon we have someone who has trafficked in white supremacist ideologies,” Cohen told the Maroon. “It is unclear what he brings to any conversation.… The question has to be: At what point does free speech turn into hate speech?”

Zingales explained his decision to invite Bannon to the debate in a Facebook post he made Thursday.

The university's statement echoed a similar tune.

“The University of Chicago is deeply committed to upholding the values of academic freedom, the free expression of ideas, and the ability of faculty and students to invite the speakers of their choice," the school's statement continued.

"We recognize that there will be debate and disagreement over this event; as part of our commitment to free expression, the University supports the ability of protesters and invited speakers to express a wide range of views.”

If Bannon moves forward with the planned appearance at the U of C, it may be his first public speaking event since he resigned from Breitbart amid the fallout over comments he made about the Donald Trump presidential administration in a Michael Wolff book titled "Fire and Fury."

Photo: Win McNamee / Getty Images News / Getty Images