Coulter's Ottawa speech cancelled

[Canuckistanian]

Source: CBC News

American right-winger Ann Coulter's speech at the University of Ottawa was cancelled Tuesday night due to security concerns after thousands protested outside the venue.

A spokesman for the group that organized the event said they were fears for Coulter's well-being after about two thousand people gathered outside the venue to protest her presence there.

Although the event was cancelled, organizers said her Canadian tour will continue, wrapping up at the University of Calgary on Thursday.

Coulter is a darling of the U.S. right-wing who uses incendiary language to sell millions of books as well as her syndicated column.



Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2010/03/23/ottawa-coulter-speech.html

---

Poor little Annie. She's SOOOO repressed.

[Xipe Totec]

1. Chicken!

shit!

[baldguy]

2. Coward

[superconnected]

3. She's afraid of anti-war, environment loving, socialist, liberals.

[Darth_Kitten]

4. Right on.

:D

[hatrack]

5. Damn these hot tears coursing down my face - my true feelings betrayed once again!

:rofl:

[tabatha]

6. More people demonstrated against Coulter

than did on Sunday against the HCR bill.

[marmar]

7. Security concerns?

Is she afraid the Men in Black are going to send her back to her planet?

[DumbBassRepublicans]

33. Is she afraid the Men in Black are going to send her back to her planet?

Either that..... or she's afraid she's gonna be sent back to mental institution that she escaped from many, many, years ago....!!!!
:evilgrin:

[xultar]

8. BUHWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAAWA

[Mithreal]

39. +1

[Xipe Totec]

9. Where is your bat now, Ann?

Some libruls want to talk to you.

[rocktivity]

10. Meanwhile, INSIDE the venue

Coulter's fans helped uphold the Rethug tradition of being out-attended by the porta-potties.



:headbang:
rocktivity

[Canuckistanian]

11. I never tire of seeing that pic

Sort of gives me faith in humanity.

:thumbsup:

[muriel_volestrangler]

12. I fear for her well-being when she's conscious

Being batshit insane is a risky state. She needs to be under permanent heavy sedation.

[polly7]

13. The many extreme right-wingers in Alberta will love her. She speaks

their language.

[DRex]

32. All the extreme right wingers on the U of C campus?

No, I don't think they'll be too thrilled actually.

[polly7]

48. Hmmmm. Tough one. No, I doubt they would be;-) Did I say anywhere

all of the extreme right wingers are on the U of C Campus? Maybe to make it easier for you I should have said extreme right wingers will love her. I have family in Alberta who think she and people who think like her are great. I've lived in Alberta ........ I keep in touch with former co-workers. They're (MOSTLY) just as extreme as any right-winger who believes they've got theirs and spreading around the wealth (despite it being wealth created by taxes from everyone) is evil. I think they would be thrilled ............... actually. And ............ they all have stuff like live coverage, TV ........

[Spazito]

53. You are right, Calgary is right-wing central...

and they love their American counter-parts: Bush, Palin and now Coulter. It is really the only city in Canada where they feel 'safe' to spew their hateful rhetoric.

[DRex]

62. Watch that broad brush...

That's all I'm saying.

Of course Calgary elects conservatives, that's consistent. Maybe it depends on the circles you move in, but the only person I know in Calgary that I would classify as tea-partyesque extremist is a Texan visitor. I also seem to remember a large protest when Bush came to town. Big business and money is why Calgary supports right wingers, not hoards of haters. You'll find the same thing on Wall Street.

[Spazito]

63. Why is it despicable people find 'haven' in Calgary when they aren't...

made as welcome anywhere else in Canada? Despicable people like Palin, Bush and now Coulter? I know quite a few people in Calgary, some including relatives and all are very right wing in their thinking. I said nothing about teabagger extremism in my post so don't know why you brought that into the conversation. In my earlier post, the "they" referred to were Palin, Bush and now Coulter not Calgarians.

As you said, Calgary elects Conservatives, previously known as Reformers, so saying it is right-wing central reflects those elections.

[DRex]

89. The previous poster referred to 'extreme right wingers'

which has to mean more than just 'votes conservative.' OBVIOUSLY Calgary is more right wing than almost anywhere else in the country. Thanks for that astute observation, but I don't believe it is fair to say that Calgary will love Ann Coulter because their extreme views reflect hers. That is simply not the case. If most Calgarians heard her more extreme views, they would reject them, because voting conservative does not make you a racist, homophobic bigot. Not automatically anyway.

Plus, Calgary is a multi-cultural place with constantly shifting demographics, so broad brush strokes just won't cut it.

I hate the conservatism here, but it doesn't make my neighbours equate to Coulter. I'll grant them more respect than that, and the benefit of the doubt. And Bush certainly didn't find 'haven' in Calgary, that's just a misrepresentation. He was secreted in and out of the building where the speech was to avoid the angry mob that filled the streets outside. I wouldn't call that haven.

[Spazito]

91. You make a very good point re Bush...

Bush did have to be shuffled in the 'back door', so to speak, I had forgotten that.

I do not believe there is a Conservative party anymore, not a true one such as the one Joe Clark belonged to, a party I could respect even if I did not agree with their philosophy. The current party is comprised, mainly, of Reform party members and the Reform party was/is decidedly racist, anti-immigrant, homophobic and more right wing than the Progressive Conservative party was hence the reason for Reform's existence. Those who vote for the not so former Reform party are subscribing to their right wing agenda, including racism and homophobia, imo.

I will await the news reports regarding her appearance as to the turnout, the welcome, etc, and, if I am proven wrong will certainly post an acknowledgment of my error. I still believe she will get a warmer welcome in Calgary than she would elsewhere. We shall see.

[DRex]

90. I agree, and it is unfortunate that conservatism dominates

here the way it does, but I can see the reasons for it. The logos are dotted all over the skyline here.

I think that as long as she stays on economic topics and oil and gas, she will be met with cheers (its a ticket buying audience after all, so we know they want to hear her). I think if most Calgarians heard her social positions and her bigotry, however, they would soundly reject it. We'll have to wait and see.

[marshall]

14. She made a joke about flying carpets and camels

Obviously a middle eastern reference. You don't do shit like that and get away with it these days. Ask Salman Rushdie and the Danish cartoonist. She'll be damn lucky if she gets out of Canada and crawls into her hidey hole.

[SusanaMontana41]

42. Reaping what she's sown.

Enough is enough. Glad to see someone hold her accountable for her hate speech.

[marshall]

50. Canada's laws regarding "free speech" are much different than ours

It is not as absolute as it is in the United States.

[SusanaMontana41]

60. I know a difference exists, though I don't know as much about it as you do

Am still glad she's being held accountable for her hate speech, wherever she spews it.
:hi:

[paulsby]

83. correct. canadians have more limited speech

CCLA's website (canada's version of the ACLU) is very informative on this

i have taken classes with RCMP and read caselaw.

much more restrictive than our law allows (we have the 1st amendment)

[iverglas]

92. bullshit, and if you don't know it, you have no excuse

You made the allegations. You back them up. You obviously know so much.

[iverglas]

93. absolute in the United States?

Tell me about ...

laws prohibiting false advertising
laws prohibiting giving false testimony
laws about treasonous speech
laws about uttering threats against the head of state


Then there are broadcasting regulations governing speech over the airwaves. (Did you know that people say things like "fuck" in prime time on network TV in Canada? and in every other comparable country in the world?)

How about producing child pornography?

And the good old "fire" in a crowded theatre that is not on fire ...


Restrictions on speech, all of them. With penal sanctions attached to all of them.

All countries have placed legal limitson speech. Including yours.


I invite you too to share your vast knowledge of our rights and freedoms and laws up here.

[Hulk]

15. Cowardly bitch!

Hey, it's Canada. They don't spit in your face like WE DO down south here in reichland.

[Spazito]

16. You have to love the photo in the article...

Well chosen I think! :rofl:

[Canuckistanian]

17. She looks like an anorexic Afghan dog

Which is probably not far off from reality.

[MUAD_DIB]

22. When reached for a comment on the cancellation of her speaking engagement

Ms Coulter was replied "Rowerrrrrrr, gerrrrrrrrrrrrr, ruff, ruff!"

She then peed on the carpet and trotted off.

-Reuters

[WinkyDink]

51. PLEASE do not compare Coulter to this beautiful breed!

[wordpix]

55. dog is much prettier, no doubt about it

[lbrtbell]

35. Please don't insult the doggies! - n/t

[JeffR]

30. All due respect to the late and very great Mick Ronson...

perhaps she's his evil twin...

[lbrtbell]

34. Gawd, she's a zombie!

These Coulter threads need warning labels, if photos are going to be included. :rofl:

[HappyCynic]

37. Please don't insult the zombies! - n/t

[wordpix]

54. LMAO - very flattering!

[underpants]

18. Dogs and firehoses didn't make *some people* quit. Pinkerton agents didn't make *some people* quit

Rioting police didn't make *some people* quit
Having your patriotism directly and repeatedly questioned didn't make *some people* quit

and Ann is scared off by some Canadians

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Thor_MN]

20. So all we have to do is hire some Canadians to show up?

Or is the mere threat that they might show up enough? I mean, I know she a xenophobe, but... Canadians??

[earcandle]

21. She is a pure YUK FUCK Gamble

[Xenotime]

23. Great job Canada!!! Thanks for leading the way!!

[marshall]

24. It's crazy when Americans go to other countries and think they can act like they are home

Laws are different--not everyone goes by the same set of rules, Ann. You can't go to Canada and say whatever you want and hide behind "free speech" and the Constitution--because you're NOT IN THE US!

[Xenotime]

28. +1 right on the mark. You made me spit up my wine.

[me b zola]

25. Truth is that Coulter has nothing to say if she can't say it in hate speech

Because that is all that Coulter has to "offer"--hate. She could have altered her speech to be about her ideology minus the hate, but hate is her entire gimmick, the only thing that she has to offer. Canadian hate-speech laws work. Coulter couldn't pull off a speech w/o hate, but other conservatives could. There is a difference.

[daleo]

27. Agreed

Contreversial political points can be made without resorting to hate speech.

[daleo]

26. Another tough Republican quitter.

When the going gets tough, they throw in the towel.

But I will defend to the death her right to quit. Palin too.

[Name removed]

29. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[valerief]

31. Damn, and I was hoping for a Suddenly Last Summer moment.

She's not only a waste of oxygen. She's human nerve gas.

[lbrtbell]

36. She's sad b/c she's yesterday's news

Sarah Palin is the new darling of the RW'ers, so she has to stir up publicity in the hopes of making herself relevant again.

[greiner3]

38. She'll just use the spectical;

To sell more books.

[Loudmxr]

40. After sending us so many comedians Canadians know satire. AH Coulter needs a better act.

Yep her middle initial is "H". Use it .... often.:party:

[Hubert Flottz]

41. I can hear her now...

"I'll Get You My Pretty...And Your Little Dog Too!"(Insane Laugh)

[No Elephants]

43. Anne What? Who? The more we dis her, the more $$ she makes. Ignore her.

That's all she warrants, anyway.

[midnight]

44. Thank you Canada...

[MetaTrope]

45. If she wants change in Canada, she should vote for it

Since residency status never discouraged her votes in multiple U.S. districts.

[liberal N proud]

46. Sounds like Canadians are not buying her bullshit

[Scout]

47. hopefully the protesters will force them to cancel the Calgary appearance too n/t

[TexasProgresive]

49. Maybe (s)he's afraid of jail time

From Joanne98 Tue Mar-23-10 05:07 AM
Original message

Canadian university to Ann Coulter: Your hateful rhetoric won’t fly here, so watch your mouth


Far-right pundit Ann Coulter will be in Canada this week for “a trio of speaking engagements,” including one at the University of Ottawa. In advance of her visit, a senior official at the school sent Coulter a letter warning her to use “restraint, respect and consideration” in her remarks and telling her to review the country’s hate speech and defamation laws. From the letter:

I would, however, like to inform you, or perhaps remind you, that our domestic laws, both provincial and federal, delineate freedom of expression (or “free speech”) in a manner that is somewhat different than the approach taken in the United States. I therefore encourage you to educate yourself, if need be, as to what is acceptable in Canada and to do so before your planned visit here.

You will realize that Canadian law puts reasonable limits on the freedom of expression. For example, promoting hatred against any identifiable group would not only be considered inappropriate, but could in fact lead to criminal charges. Outside of the criminal realm, Canadian defamation laws also limit freedom of expression and may differ somewhat from those to which you are accustomed. I therefore ask you, while you are a guest on our campus, to weigh your words with respect and civility in mind.

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/03/22/canada-coulter/
"The Shock Doctrine" by Naomi Klein

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7993393

[polly7]

52. "Following the cancellation, Coulter told the Washington Times that the university was a "bush

league" institution and suggested "their IQ points-to-teeth ratio must be about 1-to-1." She told the newspaper that "this has never happened before."

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20100324/coulter_cancellation_100324/20100324?hub=TopStoriesV2

Loved some of the comments (yes I did cherrypick, but I agree whole-heartedly with him):

A student in the article - ""I think that Ann Coulter is somebody who has consistently gone well into the territory of hate speech. She has constantly advocated for murder and violence of individuals and groups of people," Wolfe, said while appearing alongside Piccini on Canada AM.

"I don't think that a public institution like the University of Ottawa should be a soapbox for her hatred," he added, later in the interview."

From the comments section - "So protesters don't have ther right to make their views known? It seems extremely hypocritical for an 'advocate of free speech' to object to the exercise of that right by others through protest."

[wordpix]

57. couldn't have happened to a more deserving lapdog of corporate Amerika

[Scout]

61. ha! so if they are a "bush league" institution, why was she speaking there? n/t

[RamboLiberal]

56. Coward Coulter - Way to go Canada!

2000 outside protest her. Only 100 inside wanting to hear her vile crap!

[JBoy]

58. LOL. Hate = free speech. Protesting = "bush league".

You've had your ass served to you, with a side of poutine.

[UTUSN]

59. Canadians are SMART!1

Peter JENNINGS, Alex TREBEK, Michael J. FOX, Art LINKLETTER, Paul SCHAEFFER, on and on.

[TrollBuster9090]

64. Canadian students block Ann Coulter from speaking at University of Ottawa

Source: The Canadian Press

OTTAWA - Hundreds of screaming students succeeded in what few thought possible Tuesday night - they silenced incendiary right-winger Ann Coulter.


Organizers for the American's tour of Canada scrubbed her much-anticipated speech at the University of Ottawa when students crowded the entrance before her arrival. A spokesman for the organizers said about 2,000 "threatening" students posed a security threat to the darling of the American right, and she was advised against appearing.


"It would be physically dangerous for Ann Coulter to proceed with this event," said conservative political activist Ezra Levant inside Marion Hall.


"This is an embarrassing day for the University of Ottawa and their student body . . . who chose to silence her through threats and intimidation."



Read more: http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/100324/national/coulter_speech_cancelled

---

Actually, IMHO every time students do things like this to the likes of Coulter, it just gives them more "street cred" with their base.

In my opinion the best way for college students who disagree with people like Coulter to deal with her is to just go to her talks and ask her carefully researched, embarrassing questions. Practice up on your "tools for exposing sophistry" before going, confront her with facts, and don't fall into shallow rhetorical traps.

Fact: every time somebody like Ann Coulter or Karl Rove goes to talk at a University it will be on the news. You have no control over that part. What you DO have control over is WHAT TYPE of a sound-byte will result from the visit.

A) The plucky, brave advocate of free speech being silenced by a bunch of "liberal fascists," or

B) The shallow, petty demagogue being humiliated by people who are well practiced in dismantling sophomoric arguments.

[lxlxlxl]

65. disagree...there is only so much 'exposing sophistry' and she's dodged it her whole career

they pay for an education, and if they are pissed off enough about her coming there then they have the right to voice their opinion.

[paulsby]

70. blocking her entry is not "voicing their opinion"

what utter sophistry.

blocking a person's ingress and egress is simply thuggery.

i don't care if it's at a clinic, or in regards to coulter.

it's the heckler's veto on crack

you do NOT oppose bad speech by preventing somebody from speaking.

it's thuggery, plain and simple.

it disgusts me, doubly so because it makes coulter the martyr

\

[iverglas]

95. who blocked her entry?

Read much?

[skeptical cynic]

66. C) Ignore Ann Coulter

Behaving like left-wing fascists certainly isn't the solution.

But expecting a meaningful exchange with Ann Coulter in response to well-researched questions, or for someone without a conscience to experience anything resembling embarrassment, is a little like appealing to the better nature of a plague flea.

[fascisthunter]

68. there is no such thing as "leftwing" fascist

that's a right wing meme made up

[paulsby]

71. what it is , is leftwing authoritarianism

i'd also say it's unamerican and anti-constitutional, but this was canada, so that would be a little weird.

you oppose bad speech with good speech.

those who oppose bad speech, or bad speakers, by preventing them from speaking are thugs.

fascists? no

authoritarian thug scumbags?

yes

[skeptical cynic]

75. Some disagree with that interpretation.

Many view the antonym of conservative and progressive, and the antonym of liberal as fascist--two different axes, and a person or group or government could reside anywhere on a two-dimensional linguistic plane defined by those axes.

But for the sake of this discussion, Left-Wing Authoritarianism then.

I was recently called "anti-American" for speaking out against killing innocent children with Predator drones, which would mean pro-American is the same as being for killing innocent children with Predator drones.

Labels, especially "anti-American," mean very little to me these days. "Constitutional" and "democracy" have also steadily lost value during the last nine years.

[paulsby]

77. a fundamental concept in american individual liberty

as exemplified by our 1st amendment is that one has the right to speak one's mind. and that those who try to interfere with such rights are thugs.

plain and simple

this right is much more elemental and more expansive than in most other countries e.g. canada, the UK, etc. where "hate speech" and such can be (and are) outlawed.

so, i would say it IS proper to refer to those who attempt to squelch speech by blocking ingress of a speaker in entering her venue ARE being un-american. undeniably

again, this was canada, though.

they are authoritarian thugs, plain and simple

if rightwingers tried to prevent, for example, noam chomsky from speaking, they would be rightwing authritarian thugs, similarly.

those who think they have the authority to squelch other's ideas from being expressed because htey disagree are horrible scumbag thugs

period

[skeptical cynic]

82. I think we agree on all of that

I just think charges like "un-American" and "anti-American" and "unconstitutional" and "undemocratic" are losing meaning with things like illegal wars, extrajudicial assassinations and all of the other things that have slowly crept into the realm of acceptable behavior over the past nine years.

I have a close relative serving in the Middle East. What he has seen during his tours there has not only made him decide to abandon the military as a career, but to never again boast about American values. In his opinion, we have become what we condemn. He is on the front lines, and well positioned in his command, so he sees and hears it all.

So, again, the labels don't mean much anymore. They may describe ideals, but not reality.

[polly7]

84. The students themselves explained they didn't want her speaking

because of her history of calling for violence and murder of certain individuals and groups. People die every day because of 'thugs' advocating this crap. Horrible, scumbag thugs that believe making money and selling books are more important than innocent lives. Poor little Annie ........ what did she expect? Flowers in the streets?

[tularetom]

67. Instant martyrdom

And it could not have come at a worse time. This'll be all over right wing radio tomorrow. See, there's violence on BOTH sides of the political spectrum.

More false equivalence by the liberal media.

Like this is as bad as trying to blow up the home of a congressman's brother.

[frylock]

69. ignoring these idiots is always the best solution..

look how well it worked out for john kerry.

[SemperEadem]

81. exactly

[progressoid]

72. "This is an embarrassing day for the University of Ottawa" . WRONG

The embarrassing day was when you invited her to speak.

[polly7]

87. A PROUD day for a civilized bunch of young people exercising

THEIR right to free speech. They've read her bigotry and hatred. They didn't want it. Too bad if she couldn't handle it. Bullies are always so cowardly when confronted with their own medicine.

[islandmkl]

73. canada...

no offense, but who cares that she was shouted-out in canada? you go to someone else's house, you suffer the consequences...or is she a canadian? bad choice, maybe, on the part of those in the university that invited such a figure...i mean, what does she offer other than some rightwing bitch-talk?

not exactly a forum of intellectual discourse from the get-go...

[virgogal]

78. Off topic but I have a beautiful Grandog that looks just like

the one in your pic.

[polly7]

85. The Claire Boothe Luce Institute was co-sponsor of the event.

Aren't they a Conservative American group? Someone else said it was probably set up to make her the martyr and get attention right from the beginning. I agree.

[Earth_First]

74. INCORRECT

There is no recourse towards facilitating humiliating sound bytes when it is 'their' networks who are controlling the soundbytes...

[Spazito]

76. Wrong...

The students exercised their right of free speech and right to protest and they did just fine. The hate-filled Coulter, on the other hand, can't handle anyone else's right to free speech and left ON HER OWN ACCORD. Her choice not to speak, no one else made that decision.

[polly7]

86. Yes, they did.

Coulter needs to twist this to appear the poor, snivelling little martyr.

[CHIMO]

79. And Now The Rest of The Story

Coulter 'welcome' at University of Ottawa

Organizers of the Coulter event told university security staff at 7:50 p.m. that they would be cancelling the speech by Coulter, an American known for her controversial right-wing views. The International Free Press Society Canada cited fears for Coulter's well-being and claimed 2,000 protesters were gathered outside the university's Marion Hall, where she was supposed to speak.

The university disputed the organizers' version of events, saying that about 1,000 people had "peacefully gathered" at the time of the cancellation.

CBC's Hannah Thibedeau, who was at the university Tuesday evening, said police gave a similar estimate for the size of the crowd, and most of the people there were hoping to see Coulter. Only around 100 to 200 appeared to be protesting.

However, some people were upset that organizers appeared to be hand-picking who could enter the hall, which was largely filled by Coulter supporters by the time news media were allowed inside. Organizers said the people they picked had pre-registered. At one point, a fire alarm went off.

http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2010/03/24/ottawa-ann-coulter-university.html
Wednesday, March 24, 2010 | 6:36 PM ET

[Tx4obama]

88. UPDATE: Coulter will file grievance with rights panel

Right-wing U.S. firebrand Ann Coulter will file grievance with rights panel

London, Ont. — Inflammatory right-wing pundit Ann Coulter took aim at a University of Ottawa administrator Monday night, saying an e-mail from the school warning her to use “restraint, respect and consideration” when addressing Ontario students during a speaking tour this week made her a victim of a “hate crime.”

Speaking to students and academics at the University of Western Ontario Monday, Coulter said the e-mail sent to her Friday by Francois Houle, vice-president academic and provost of the University of Ottawa, targeted her as a member of an identifiable group and as such, she will be filing a complaint with the Human Rights Commission alleging hate speech.

http://www.canada.com/news/Coulter+file+grievance+with+rights+panel/2713903/story.html

---------------

Hopefully Canada will not let her in next time!
Wish they would keep her there though ;)

[CHIMO]

96. Yup

And if you know a bit about what is going on in Canada you would know that we have a PM and a party that thinks they should control the world. They come from the same cloth as the one that will be presenting Ms Coulter's case.

Ezra Levant, who got his fingers rapped and has a thing about the panel. He published the cartoons awhile back in Canada that had been originally published in Europe. He says it's for free speech. Well it only applies for his ideology.

You can expect this to be dragged out in the media and not go anywhere fast.

[SemperEadem]

80. well done, students

that thug has nothing of value to say to any thinking, self-aware person.

A person full of as much hatred as thug colter doesn't deserve a platform from which to speak. The students there showed her that Canada isn't the US and doesn't owe colter anything. She needs to keep her scrawny behind in the US if she's choosing to puke the divisive rhetoric for which she's well known.

[iverglas]

94. unfortunately that headline just doesn't seem to be supported

by the content of the article, does it?

Coulter decided not to speak. Hey, freedom of choice.


Is nobody seeing the irony here??


Coulter claims to have been SCARED by a bunch of people doing nothing but EXERCISING THEIR RIGHT OF FREE SPEECH.

Um, duh ...


Her claim was specious, obviously. Not all such claims necessarily are. If I'd been a Tutsi living in Rwanda, I think I could pretty legitimately have claimed to be scared by some of the Hutu speech I was hearing.

And that is the kind of speech Canada's laws against inciting hatred (against certain specific named groups, not including political hacks of any stripe) are designed to attack.

[murphyj87]

97. Coulter's speech..

Coulter's speech was cancelled by Ann Coulter, on the advice of her ultra right wing Canadian advisor, Ezra Levin, I guess because it was better to cancel than to face 2000 protesters with an audience of 100 or so inside.