One of America's most prominent white nationalists, Richard Spencer, was kicked out of the Conservative Political Action Conference on Thursday after conference organisers gave him credentials to attend and then wavered on whether to let him stay.
Spencer, who coined the term "alternative right" to describe his far-right views on separating the races, came to CPAC to attend a speech that was critical of the "alt-right."
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Far-right activist Richard Spencer is punched on camera while being interviewed by ABC correspondent Zoe Daniel on Donald Trump's inauguration day. Video courtesy ABC.
In 2015 and 2016, Spencer's term "alt-right" became associated with a loose-knit movement of white nationalists, misogynists and anti-Semites who often harassed prominent liberals online. For the most part, the term is now embraced mostly by white nationalists.
"There is a sinister organisation that is trying to warp its way into our ranks," said Dan Schneider, the executive director of the American Conservative Union, which runs CPAC said in a speech. "We must not be deceived by [a] hateful, left-wing fascist group."
Richard Spencer welcomed at CPAC, then kicked outhttps://t.co/TIbwzoP49e pic.twitter.com/mlb0a9nt9D
— ThinkProgress (@thinkprogress) February 23, 2017
Over a few confusing minutes, Schneider argued that the "alt-right," a term coined then popularised by the National Policy Institute's Richard Spencer, was philosophically left-wing because it departed from his definition of conservatism, in which "the individual" is sovereign.
"They hate the Constitution. They hate free markets. They hate pluralism," Schneider said. "Fascists tend to want big government control."
"There is a sinister organisation that is trying to warp its way into our ranks," said Dan Schneider, the executive director of the American Conservative Union, which runs CPAC. "We must not be deceived by [a] hateful, left-wing fascist group."
![Richard Spencer, white nationalist and 'alt-right' leader.](/web/20170225234622im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/y/7/q/y/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.guk5u4.png/1487877866696.jpg)
CPAC organizer Matt Schlapp at one point stood about a dozen feet from the crowd around Spencer and defended the conference for allowing Spencer in, while trying to distance CPAC from the fringe Spencer represents.
"The 'alt-right' does not have a legitimate voice in the conservative movement," said Schlapp, adding that "nobody from that movement is speaking at CPAC."
Schlapp added, of Spencer, "This is America, and we have to deal with the laws and, you know, all I can tell you is that if he had comments we'd agree with, he'd be on our stage, but he's not on our stage."
When asked if he wanted Spencer to leave, Schlapp responded: "Richard Spencer is not on our agenda, we did not invite him, there's all kinds of people I suppose who can buy tickets, we have a constitution, we have laws in this country, and I think it would be better if y'all (journalists) didn't give him attention."
He added, "I'd rather he not be here."
Twenty minutes later, a security guard asked Spencer to leave, and Spencer left - but he first spoke with dozens of journalists who had come to cover CPAC.
After leaving the speech, Spencer was quickly surrounded by a crowd of journalists who quizzed him on his views as curious passers-by craned their necks to see who was causing such a scene.
"'Donald Trump isn't a conservative' - that's what they were saying a year ago," said Spencer.
The fact is, people want to talk to me, not these boring conservatives," Spencer said. "CPAC can't hold a speech denouncing the alt-right and expect me not to come."
As the throng of reporters moved, Spencer was stopped by JP Sheehan, a CPAC attendee wearing a black-and-gold Make America Great Again baseball cap.
"Praise kek!" said Sheehan, posing for a selfie with Spencer and repeating a meme that had been adopted by the alt-right. "He's the coolest guy."
Days earlier former alt-right troll and gay Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos was disinvited from speaking at CPAC after audio of him equating paedophilia to homosexuality surfaced online. He was later fired from Breitbart and lost a pending book deal.
MCT, Washington Post