WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Protesters drowned out Richard Spencer with boos and chants Thursday as the white supremacist leader tried to deliver a speech at a university in the U.S. state of Florida.
"Go home, Spencer...Nazis are not welcome here," protesters chanted at an auditorium in the University of Florida, Gainesville, when Spencer took the stage Thursday evening.
"This is a great greeting," said Spencer, a leader of the so-called "al-right" movement that includes white supremacists, neo-Nazis and supporters of the Ku Klux Klan.
"Thank you for the welcome. Are you ready to talk?" he said.
But he later criticized the crowd, who continued chanting slogans, for not letting him speak before ending his event earlier than scheduled and leaving the campus.
Spencer, who heads the National Policy Institute, a nationalist think tank, was one of the organizers of the August rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, which led to the death of a 32-year-old anti-racist protester and injuries of 19 others.
Spencer's supporters were outnumbered by protesters both inside the auditorium and at the campus where demonstrations remained largely peaceful.
The university said it spent over 500,000 U.S. dollars to tighten security on campus and in the city of Gainesville.
Florida Governor Rick Scott declared a state of emergency earlier this week in response to Spencer' s planned speech.
Local police said three supporters of Spencer were arrested.
