A pro-woman talk hosted by the Turning Point USA (TPUSA) chapter and the Leadership Institute at the University of Washington was interrupted and later canceled after trans activists pulled the fire alarm and smashed a window.
Olivia Krolczyk, a free speech advocate who regularly speaks in defense of biological women, was slated to deliver her talk titled “Protect Women from Men: The Threat of the Trans Agenda” at U Washington’s Thomson Hall until the evening descended into chaos.
A rally of under 50 people, hosted by Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), eventually joined a “group of over 150 dancers and protesters,” the school’s news outlet, The Daily, reported Monday.
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The group proceeded to bang on the windows of the classroom where Krolczyk’s event was held, shattering one window. A noisemaker was thrown into the building, according to the outlet, and a pulled fire alarm resulted in several moments of confusion and an eventual evacuation from the building, despite no visible fire, shortly after.
The report added that a local police chief confirmed the fire alarm had been pulled in the building’s basement.
Fox News Digital reached out to the university for comment on the situation. University spokesperson Victor Balta provided the following statement in response:
“The University of Washington is committed to free exchange of ideas and the principles of academic freedom, in accordance with the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, including some whose views may be considered controversial.
“UW police leadership was in conversation with organizers of Tuesday night’s event several weeks ago to discuss plans to make it run as smoothly as possible and safely. The student group that invited the speaker, unfortunately, changed its plans during the course of the day. The group committed to requiring registration by attendees in advance of the event and did not follow through on that requirement.”
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The statement continued, adding, “The responsibility for interrupting last night’s event falls on those whose actions were disruptive and damaging, including breaking a window, graffiti in the building and wasting firefighters’ time with a false fire alarm. Anyone who is identified to have been responsible for vandalism or property damage will be pursued through legal channels. The event organizers made the decision to suspend the event. UWPD escorted event participants out of the building.
“Informed discussion and debate are encouraged on our campus, however, it is clear that presenters and disruptors are, in some cases, seeking to antagonize one another in ways that provide dramatic content for their social media feeds. Tuesday’s scheduled speaker told the student newspaper that she was ‘excited’ the event was shut down,” he said, referencing a comment Krolczyk made to The Daily.
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“I’m almost excited [about being shut down], I know that sounds weird, but I’m excited because that means we’re doing something right,” she told the outlet. “We’re speaking the truth and they can’t handle it… I’m going to keep preaching the truth because that’s what God wants me to do.”
Krolczyk, who serves as an ambassador for the Riley Gaines Center, a division of the Leadership Institute, which trains young voices to challenge leftist ideas, also took to X to share her reaction to the university’s statement. “My true intention for the event was to talk about the protection of women’s sports and free speech,” the activist stated, noting that President Donald Trump had recently signed an executive order for college campuses to protect freedom of speech.
Third-year student Valerie Marriott, who participated in the protest, told The Daily that the protest was held to “celebrate the trans community” and show that “transphobia will not be tolerated on campus.”
“I think we need to be showing pride in ourselves… showing people we’re not these dangerous, demonified, awful people,” she added.
Krolczyk expanded in comments to Fox News Digital, explaining that to ensure her safety, the police had to dress her in their gear to escort her out of the building.
“I am incredibly grateful for the quick-thinking and professionalism of the UWPD officers who ensured my safety and the safety of those in attendance,” she told Fox Digital.
“I was fully prepared to continue with my presentation — I didn’t come to Seattle to be silenced. But I respected law enforcement’s recommendation not to proceed given the immediate security threat posed by these protesters. This incident raises serious concerns about the safety of students, speakers, and the university community when campuses fail to ensure security for the free exchange of ideas. I hope the University of Washington will back up their words with action by holding those responsible for the disruption and destruction accountable. We’re even happy to provide them with video footage of the protesters so that justice can be served.”
“In today’s culture, it is more important than ever to foster tolerance for ideas that may challenge the status quo,” she continued. “Woke culture thrives on silencing opposing voices, but free speech means protecting the right to hear and debate viewpoints we may not agree with. We must stand against this rising intolerance and encourage dialogue rather than destruction. Academic institutions should lead the way in ensuring that all voices can be heard—not just the ones that fit within the current cultural narrative. I hope to return to the University of Washington in the future to have this important conversation in a safe and respectful environment.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Krolczyk in request for comment.