Rep. Laurel Libby (R-Auburn) addressed University of Maine students in Orono on Wednesday about the importance of free speech and drew outrage from left-wing student protesters who were joined by Sen. Mike Tipping (D-Penobscot).
[RELATED: Laurel Libby Will Not Seek Reelection, Shifts Focus to Building Conservative Movement in Maine…]
“Thank you to all who attended… both to listen and to protest! There is no better illustration for the importance of protecting ALL speech, and particularly that with which we disagree, than a vigorous protest outside,” said Rep. Libby in a social media post.
“Had I the chance to speak when I greeted the protesters, I would have thanked them for exercising their First Amendment rights… and pledged to keep fighting for them,” she added.
Libby delivered her speech in UMaine’s Donald P. Corbett (DPC) Business Building, addressing the threats posed to free speech by people who seek to use intimidation and violence to silence their political opponents.
She emphasized her belief in the importance of absolute free speech laws that protect all speech, regardless of whether the opinions expressed are distasteful.
“If we pick and choose which speech should be protected by the First Amendment, are we actually standing for Free Speech? No… we must protect ALL speech, including that with which we disagree, and even that which we consider to be repugnant, in order to protect our liberties,” said Libby on X following her talk.
According to the Maine Campus, UMaine’s student newspaper, Libby brought up the assassination of Charlie Kirk during a peaceful campus event in Utah as an example of a violent attempt to silence speech.
She also reportedly brought up her own experience of being censured in the Maine House and barred from voting or speaking after she posted a publicly available image of a trans-identifying male high school student winning in a girls’ sports competition.
[RELATED: SCOTUS Restores Rep. Laurel Libby’s Right to Vote, Enjoins Maine Dems’ Censure of Her…]
The student paper reported that, during Libby’s talk, multiple students attended to heckle Libby and argue with her as she spoke.
One student was reportedly asked to leave by campus security after she repeatedly spoke over Libby.
The paper did not specify how many students attended in support of the talk, though members of Turning Point USA UMaine Chapter and UMaine Conservatives were reportedly in attendance.
According to the student paper, a crowd of over 100 student activists was chanting outside the event.
After her talk, Libby was greeted by a crowd of protesters shouting slogans like “Laurel Libby, f@ck off, go home,” and, in an apparent attempt at humor, “Loser Libby.”
Despite the vitriolic hatred directed at her pro-free-speech event, Libby appeared to remain calm and maintained her belief that the protesters were acting within their rights.
“This is a taxpayer funded institution, and there needs to be equal opportunity for free speech, regardless of whether we agree with that speech or not,” said Libby, speaking to the student paper following the event.
Sen. Tipping was apparently so outraged over Libby’s campus talk that he decided to join the student protesters demanding that she leave the campus.
“Her project is tearing people, tearing things apart. It’s setting us against each other. It’s targeting vulnerable children in order to raise money and gain power,” he reportedly said.
Libby announced on Monday that she will not be seeking re-election next year and that, despite speculation about her planning a run for higher office, she will not be seeking any elected position.
Instead, she announced the founding of the Lead Maine Committee, a new group that will work to ensure the re-election of Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and expand conservative influence in the Maine state legislature.
