Turning Point USA event at University of Maryland goes on despite disagreement over extra security fees

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — The University of Maryland is being criticized for charging its Turning Point USA chapter additional security fees to host an on-campus lecture.

On October 22 Turning Point scheduled an event with guest speaker Cabot Phillips, senior editor at the conservative leaning media outlet, The Daily Wire.

UMD campus police reportedly required Turning Point to hire extra event staff, at their own expense, to conduct bag checks for attendees.

Turning Point alleges the mandate stemmed from increased threats the organization's faced, since their founder Charlie Kirk's September assassination.

In a statement, the University of Maryland said they impose "the same related security fees on other event hosts holding similar types of guest speaker events, regardless of the content or viewpoint."

However, Turning Point claims to have hosted other recent events such as candlelight vigils, without being charged extra.

The nonprofit free speech advocacy group, known as FIRE, got involved by writing a letter to university leadership demanding they rescind the fee requirement.

Maryland's lone Republican Congressman, Andy Harris, also blasted the university calling the policy "outrageous" and a "disgrace."

Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Justice, responded to Harris on X (formerly Twitter), suggesting the policy violates the First Amendment which could subject the university to a court injunction.

In the end another nonprofit called The Leadership Institute stepped up and paid the $148 security fee allowing the event to go on as planned.

While expressing great gratitude to the Leadership Institute, Turning Point defended their stance accusing the university of "viewpoint discrimination."

It should be noted UMD Police provided primary security throughout the event free of charge.