SEATTLE, WA - The group bringing inflammatory alt-right pundit and Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos to the University of Washington has turned to GoFundMe to cover costs related to the event.
The University of Washington College Republicans' "Make UW Fabulous Again" event at Kane Hall has been in the works for months, but on Dec. 17, the group launched a $7,000 fundraiser to pay for the Yiannopoulos event to happen.
"[O]ur estimates were much lower than what the final cost of this event amounted to," UW College Republicans President Jessie Gamble wrote on the fundraiser page. "Because of this, we are asking the community for help and to reach this goal by Jan. 9."
The fundraiser wasn't quite there on Wednesday, but by Thursday, the campaign had actually surpassed its goal by about $1,600 (and growing). Gamble said that the extra funds were necessary to pay for security related for the event.
But some pushed back on the GoFundMe fundraiser, questioning whether it violated the site's terms of service. Yiannopoulos is known for inflammatory commentary, and he has called himself a "virtuous troll." The name of his current tour of college campuses actually contains a gay slur, although Yiannopoulos is openly gay. He was banned from Twitter earlier this year for his role in goading comedian Leslie Jones to quit the social media platform.
"Aside from this being literally the most idiotic fundraising campaign of all time, you're in violation of Go Fund Me's Terms and Conditions, ahem: 'the promotion of hate, violence, harassment, discrimination, terrorism, or intolerance of any kind relating to race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, sex, gender or gender identity, or serious disabilities or diseases,'" wrote Rebecca Rogers on the GoFundMe page.
In typical fashion, Yiannopoulos supporters responded.
"Rebecca Rogers mirrors the real problem. Nasty and stupid," wrote Hubert Smith.
"Snowflakes, go to your safe place," wrote donor Joe Amo on the page. "Trump won, get over it. Listen to Milo, you might learn something your liberal tender brains have never heard, called facts and reality."
Yiannopoulos will also speak at Washington State University in January, although the College Republicans group there has also launched a GoFundMe campaign, seeking $1,000 to pay for the event. In fact, there are five other groups at college campuses around the U.S. using GoFundMe to pay for Yiannopoulos to speak.
According to the UW College Republicans' Facebook page, about 200 people are signed up to attend the Yiannopoulos speech.
Image via GoFundMe
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