Conservative activist and former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines spoke Tuesday night at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC), appearing as a guest of the school’s newly formed Turning Point USA chapter.
Turning Point USA was recently approved as a registered student organization at UTC, but the process drew significant debate. The Student Government Association initially voted against recognizing the group, though the Dean of Students later granted approval.
One attendee at Tuesday’s event says she believes gatherings like this are necessary, saying, “I’m fearful for the next civil war — the left versus the right. And we’re taking a stand. It’s time to get our country back.”
UTC’s chapter of Turning Point USA was established following the assassination of the organization’s founder, Charlie Kirk, in September.
