UK Edition
Storm brewing: White nationalist Richard Spencer's appearance in Florida prompts free beer stunt
White nationalist Richard Spencer has likely been met with boos in the past. Now a Florida town is set to welcome him with booze.
With the leading "alt-right" figure set to speak at the University of Florida on Thursday, a local brewing company is offering free drink for those who boycott his appearance.
Alligator Brewing is giving people the chance to trade tickets for the Gainesville event for a draft beer at Tall Paul's Brew House, which will then dispose of the stubs.
"Here at Alligator we believe free speech is a cornerstone of our great nation," the company said in a statement posted on Instagram.
"Speech that condones, let alone promotes racial supremacy has no home in America. And it sure as hell doesn't have a home here in our beautiful town.
"We unfortunately can't stop [Spencer] from bringing his hate to Gainesville, but we can empty the room so his disgusting message goes unheard," the brewery wrote.
Mr Spencer's lawyer, Kyle Bristow, told ABC News: "We are not whatsoever concerned with the beer-for-tickets stunt."
Student leaders are also hosting a "virtual assembly" via Facebook during Mr Spencer's event to discuss race relations and diversity.
The white nationalist was a prominent figure of the protest in Charlottesville, Virginia, that descended into violence. Amid fears of further unrest, the university has called in hundreds of law enforcement officers from federal, state, county and city sources.
"I fully understand freedom of speech cannot be burdened legally with the full cost of this, but on the other hand we're being burdened," UF President W. Kent Fuchs told the Associated Press, estimating security will cost $600,000.
"So taxpayers are subsidising hate speech."