With protesters lining the streets, the “Culture War” event pushed on. 

Charlie Kirk returned to the Colorado State University campus one year after riots broke out following his speech. With him, he brought Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle. This year, Kirk has been visiting colleges nationwide as a part of his “Culture War” campus tour.

Turning Point USA hosted Kirk, Guilfoyle and Trump Jr. at CSU’s University Center for the Arts. Extensive protests took place outside of the building, with a heavy police presence throughout the night. 

Gaby Brown, CSU’s TPUSA chapter president, welcomed attendees before Kirk took the stage. 

“Without all of you, this would not be possible because we are changing the narrative here at CSU every day,” Brown said. “We sure have a lot of fun doing it, don’t we?”

Inside the building, event-goers filed into Griffin Hall’s 550 seats, 415 of which were reserved for VIP ticket holders. A number of protesters were among this group.

Protesters sat in their seats completely silent and wore all black. Shortly after Kirk took the stage, dozens of them silently left the auditorium. 

During his speech, Kirk repeatedly referenced the approximate 2,000 attendees who were unable to enter the venue, as well as the 16,000 tickets he claims were sold for the event. Kirk followed this information with comments about CSU’s administration censoring his voice and misrepresenting his ideas. 

“The president of this university dared send out an email to the entire student body that talked about despicable acts that happened on this campus that we repudiate and that will be rejected,” Kirk said. “I have nothing to do with those. … I haven’t seen an apology issued publicly. That still stands on the University website to this time because it smears and slanders the great work that all of our Turning Point USA students do every single day.”

Kirk went on to express his dismay at the administration, saying that he is an ally in the fight against hatred and actively goes out of his way to condemn hate speech.

Guilfoyle, a former San Francisco prosecutor and current senior adviser to Donald Trump’s reelection campaign, spoke extensively about her belief in the American dream and her experience as a first-generation American.

Specifically in reference to immigration, Guilfoyle spoke from personal experience watching her father. 

“He applied to become a citizen of the United States, and he followed the laws and the rules on the books,” Guilfoyle said. “He did not try to cut the line from … people that had come before him. They wanted that opportunity for their family.” 

Guilfoyle continued expressing her beliefs on marginalized identities and conservativism, saying that they should have their own ideas and beliefs and that the left likes to perpetuate a victim culture. 

“What I get frustrated by is the other side that wants to establish and perpetuate a victim culture because they are dependent on you feeling that you need big government to provide for you,” Guilfoyle said. “Well, you know what I say to that: I reject that I am not a victim because I am a woman. I am not a victim because I am Puerto Rican or because I am Native American Indian or because I am a single mother or because I am a first-generation American. I am a born-free American, and I will use my voice and I will not be sorry.”

In response to a question on her Native heritage, Guilfoyle clarified by saying she is 6.1% Native American. 

The president of this university dared send out an email to the entire student body that talked about despicable acts that happened on this campus that we repudiate and that will be rejected.” – Charlie Kirk, founder of TPUSA

Peter Hansen, an attendee of the event, said that he was interested in hearing different political viewpoints. 

“I hear a lot of news from the liberal side, so it’s interesting to hear all sides and kind of form an opinion for myself,” Hansen said.  

Trump Jr., who is dating Guilfoyle, made a number of anecdotes throughout the event. He expressed his views on transgender issues, on the press and on Jussie Smollett, and he was warmly welcomed by the crowd. 

In order to change the culture of the “left,” Trump Jr. delivered a remark on how to interact with them. 

“You can talk about facts,” Trump Jr. said. “Facts, or as i say, leftist kryptonite.”

Meagan Stackpool can be reached at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @MeaganStackpool.