Chaos at University of Washington: TPUSA event canceled after violent protests trap attendees
January 22, 2025
A Turning Point USA event featuring Olivia Krolczyk was canceled after a fire alarm was pulled and the building was surrounded by left-wing agitators who smashed a window, leading Krolczyk to be held hostage and attendees requiring police escorts to leave the building.
Krolczyk was supposed to give a talk titled, “Protect Women from Men: The Threat of the Trans Agenda” at the University of Washington, but was not able to speak because of protests organized by the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) at UW (also known as the UW Students for a Democratic Society/Progressive Student).
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According to local reports, more than 200 protesters surrounded the building, blasted music, line danced, and waved signs that included, “TERFS are some dumb birthingpersonf**kers” and
BREAKING: Protesters are line dancing and waving signs outside Thompson Hall at @UW in an attempt to shut down the @TPUSA “Protect Women from Men” event featuring @oliviakrolczyk_.@choeshow pic.twitter.com/Agdf2Aov3H
— FRONTLINES (@FrontlinesTPUSA) January 22, 2025
Inside the building, a fire alarm was pulled, people banged on the doors, and a window was smashed by an alarm being thrown through it:
🚨 Far-left protesters broke a window and threw an alarm inside at Thompson Hall where @oliviakrolczyk_ was holding an event for @tpusastudents at @UW.
A @UW police officer found the device and smashed it.@tpusa | @choeshow pic.twitter.com/9Nlk6084VV
— FRONTLINES (@FrontlinesTPUSA) January 22, 2025
My friend @oliviakrolczyk_ was set to speak for the @TPUSA chapter at UWashington tonight.
Protestors have barricaded her in a room, pulled the fire alarms, and are banging on the door. She can’t evacuate the building at this point.
These activists need to be in jail. pic.twitter.com/CNRlbP960k
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) January 22, 2025
🚨 BREAKING: The @tpusastudents event at @UW featuring @oliviakrolczyk_ has been canceled due to far-left protesters demonstrating signs of violence towards attendees. Campus police are giving escorts out to attendees for their safety.@oliviakrolczyk_ tells @choeshow she would… pic.twitter.com/CqDXKvae6e
— FRONTLINES (@FrontlinesTPUSA) January 22, 2025
According to Riley Gaines, the University of Washington was aware of the anticipated protest organized by the UW SDS before the event.
In a post on X Krolczyk promised, “I’m coming back. Bigger and better. Just be ready. They cannot silence the truth.”
UW SDS, which led the protests, was previously known as the Progressive Student Union (PSU). While acting as the PSU, the group hosted anti-Israel, pro-Gaza encampments on the UW campus; however, one encampment attempt was postponed due to the lack of diversity, the New York Post reported. “We want to make sure this encampment is a better reflection of the UW community, and having even greater unity with Muslim, Palestinian, and Arab students,” the group said at the time. When the group did eventually host its pro-Palestine encampments, supporters of the cause commented on Instagram, “PSU does not uplift the voices of palestinian Arab and Muslim members” and that there was “no joint efforts? no muslim or arab organizations joining you? this is such performative activism. go home.”
When operating as the UW Progressive Student Union, the group described itself as “pro-Palestine, anti-fascist, pro-union, anti-war, pro-reproductive rights, anti-racist, pro-LGBTQ+, anti police brutality, and more!” and a chapter of the Students for a Democratic Society.
While the protests themselves were held by the UW SDS, the UW Q Center and the UW Counseling Center, were also offering counseling services for those who may have been in need from the trauma of the Krolczyk event:
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No word on whether counseling services will be given to the students who were traumatized by the protests.