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Rallies by neo-Nazis and white nationalists in Charlottesville,
Virginia, in August led to violent street clashes with
counter-protesters. After the melee, as counter-protesters were
dispersing, a 20-year-old man who is said by law enforcement to
have harbored Nazi sympathies smashed his car into the crowd,
killing a 32-year-old woman.
"This executive order is an additional step to ensure that the
University of Florida and the entire community is prepared so
everyone can stay safe," Scott said in a statement.
Scott said in the order there was a need to implement a
coordinated security plan among local and state agencies before
the speech by Richard Spencer on Thursday in Gainesville.
Spencer heads a white nationalist group
University of Florida officials were not immediately available
for comment. Local media reports said the school was threatened
with a lawsuit if it tried to block Spencer.
The Orlando Sentinel newspaper quoted Spencer as saying the
emergency declaration was "flattering" but "most likely
overkill."
In a video message this week, University of Florida President
Kent Fuchs told students to stay away, deny Spencer attention
and ignore his "message of hate."
"The values of our universities are not shared by Mr. Spencer.
Our campuses are places where people from all races, origins and
religions are welcome and treated with love," he said, adding he
was required by law to allow him speak.
"We refuse to be defined by this event. We will overcome this
external threat to our campus and our values," Fuchs said.
(Reporting by Jon Herskovitz in Austin, Texas; Editing by Peter
Cooney)
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