Northeastern University police wrestled a protester to the ground after he jumped on stage and began yelling at an event featuring former White House press secretary Sean Spicer.
Spicer was not yet on stage at Northeastern Illinois University on Thursday when the man started shouting and throwing unidentified items into the crowd.
President Trump’s former spokesman appeared alongside Donna Brazile, a Fox News contributor who had served as interim chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee during the 2016 election.
A couple hundred protesters held signs and chanted outside the venue, the local Fox affiliate reported. The anti-Spicer chants could be heard inside the auditorium during the panel.
Those protesting said Spicer’s invite to campus was contradictory to the mission of the university. School administrators defended the invite, saying it was the type of debate that should be happening at academic institutions.
Spicer has been a controversial figure since his first days as press secretary when he made false claims about the size of the crowd at Trump’s inauguration.
Producers of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars were criticized last month when they announced Spicer would compete in the upcoming season. The show’s host said he had asked producers not to cast anyone connected to politics.
