For the first time since her rise to fame, Katie Hopkins has been left speechless after a walk out protest by students at Brunel University.
Katie Hopkins has infamously built herself on insults, Twitter tyranny and cruel commentary of people with depression, refugees and otherwise. Her reputation as a poison tongued woman has elevated her level of fame for all the wrong reasons.
Hopkins, one that is renowned for her harsh hostility, was recently invited to a debate entitles ‘Does the Welfare State have a place in 2015?’ at Brunel University this week; students were understandably upset that Hopkins was featured on the bill of debaters.
Prior to the debate, Hopkins tweeted to her followers on Twitter about the debate. The tweet contained an image she had taken of her notepad with the words “racist, bigot, misogynist” and others scrawled on it. Hopkins detailed that those were the names that she was prepared to be called by the student body. Her words: “Don’t label. Debate.”
The Brunel University students booked out the debate. When Hopkins came into the stage to speak, every student rose from their seats and walked out, leaving her talking to an empty room.
The walk out was intended to protest against her presence at the debate.
President of Brunel’s student union Ali Milani condemned Hopkins as the “physical manifestation of online trolls” adding:
“The inclusion of Ms Hopkins has been met with widespread outcry from the student body and the Students’ Union.
“It is important to note that the conversation at no point has been about banning Ms Hopkins from speaking on campus, or denying her right to speak. It is instead about saying it is distasteful and incongruous for our University, as part of a 50th celebration event, to provide a platform to someone who adds nothing to the intellectual or academic discourse; and an individual who publicly utters such overtly bigoted views.”