Student Protesters Pepper Sprayed at David Duke Debate Appearance

Hundreds of student protesters at historically black Dillard University in New Orleans faced pepper spray and tasers tonight as they attempted to enter the auditorium where Former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke made an appearance at a candidates' debate in the race for the U.S. Senate in Louisiana.

In a bizarre twist, the candidates took the stage to an empty auditorium, after broadcaster RayCom decided at the last minute to close the event off to the public.

As the event was set to begin, student protesters surrounded the auditorium as police held them back with pepper spray and tasers.

Student journalist Nick Reimann from Loyola University of New Orleans said he saw "at least 50, maybe 100" protesters at one of the building's entrances.

"Guys were jumping all over the place, just mace, pepper spray," he said. "I literally can still taste the pepper spray."

The university announced via Twitter that there had been no arrests made, but that two individuals were briefly apprehended after trying to breach the door.

Sam Barton came with about 30 students from nearby Tulane University to protest with Dillard's students, one of several outside groups to join the demonstration. "It was important for us to stand in solidarity," he said. "It’s important that young people engage politically, especially around issues of social justice and race."

"I think David Duke was a catalyst for a broader conversation about how their institution and our city at large sort of view people of color."

Inside the debate, despite moderator John Snell's efforts at keeping the conversation away from Duke, saying it would be "an enormous disservice" to voters to focus on him, the candidates continued to reference him.

After Democratic candidate Campbell Foster was accused of having a friendship with Duke, he responded, "I have nothing in common with David Duke, other than we're probably breathing."

Republican candidate John Fleming said of Duke, "It must be terrible to wake up in the morning with that much hate in your heart."

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from ABC News: Politics http://ift.tt/2f2Zw94

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