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The University of Wisconsin Milwaukee has decided it will no longer charge a student organization a security fee for a speech planned on campus next week.  The speech by Walid Shoebat caused controversy after a Muslim student group argued that it could cause hate toward Muslims on campus.

In a statement the University says, "the additional security fees have been perceived by some as a means to discourage speakers from visiting the UWM campus.  Simply stated, that is not the case."

Shoebat describes himself as a former PLO terrorist who has changed his ways.  Click Here to listen to Shoebat talk with Newsradio 620 WTMJ's Charlie Sykes.

 

Statement from UW-Milwaukee Administration:

UWM Union Modifies Policy on Speaker Security Charges  

 

 

From the beginning of our planning for the Dec. 4 appearance of Walid Shoebat at the UW-Milwaukee Union, campus officials have been most concerned with the safety of students and the others who will be coming to our university to attend the event. A safety plan for the event was created by the Division of Student Affairs after reviewing the experiences of other universities where Mr. Shoebat appeared. The cost for the required additional security services was based on a fee-recovery program developed by UWM Union officials over the summer.  

It has become clear, however, that the additional security expenses have been perceived by some as a means to discourage speakers from visiting the UWM campus. Simply stated, that is not the case. UWM is committed to its long-standing practice of welcoming and encouraging discussion and debate of all issues no matter how controversial.

To ensure that the UWM Union remains a place where ideas are freely exchanged, the Union will explore other methods to recover such expenses. As a result of this policy change, the Union is canceling the additional security charges that were to have been applied to next Tuesday’s Shoebat speech sponsored by the Conservative Union and to a forum on the same day sponsored by the Muslim Student Association.

Throughout its history, UWM has kept its doors open to people expressing a myriad of perspectives. A particularly significant example was the Nov. 23, 1965, appearance of Martin Luther King, Jr. at UWM, which required extraordinary safety measures. In the following years, the university has welcomed numerous speakers who represented many perspectives. We will continue to do so in order to preserve and protect the right to free speech and, when necessary, we will take precautions to ensure the safety of all involved.