Following Terror Threats, Feminist Frequency Creator Speech at USU Cancelled
UPDATE: Utah State University clarified it's stance on the threats in a statement posted to the school's website saying there is "no risk to USU students."
The statement reads: "Following a disturbing email received late Monday evening, Utah State University police and administrators have been working throughout the day to assess any level of risk to students or to a speaker scheduled to visit. USU police, in conjunction with several teams of state and federal law enforcement experts, determined that there was no threat to students, staff or the speaker, so no alert was issued."
USU notes that, "At no time was there any imminent threat," but that,"The investigation is continuing."
"The speaker, Anita Sarkeesian, canceled the presentation. She was concerned about the fact that state law prevented the university from keeping people with a legal concealed firearm permit from entering the event. University police were prepared and had a plan in place to provide extra security measures at the presentation."
The original story appears below.
Anita Sarkeesian, the creator of Feminist Frequency, has had her presentation at Utah State University cancelled in response to being informed that weapons would be permitted at the venue, the university has announced in a statement.
The discussion was sparked by what Standard Examiner reports as threats sent to "a number of personnel" at Utah State University via email. The emails allegedly threatened Sarkeesian as well as audience members who would be in attendance at her presentation with "the deadliest school shooting in American history." USU had originally scheduled for the presentation to go ahead after receiving email threats, but Sarkeesian cancelled the event after being informed that "if a person has a valid concealed firearm permit and is carrying a weapon, they are permitted to have it at the venue."
Sarkeesian's speech was initially scheduled to be held on October 15 at the university's Taggart Student Center with "enhanced security measures." She had been invited to "tell her perspective about an important topic."
Anita Sarkeesian's Kickstarter-funded video series Tropes vs. Women in Video Games tackles the representation of women in entertainment fields, primarily video games. Earlier this year, Game Developers Choice Awards (GDCA) organizers announced Sarkeesian as the recipient of the Ambassador Award, which honors an individual who helps video games "advance to a better place" through advocacy. Threats were reportedly made to the organizers and targeted the event, stating that the hosts should rescind Sarkeesian's award or "a bomb will be detonated." The FBI was reportedly handed information to assist in its investigation of the threats made against Sarkeesian.
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