Chaos at TSU: Cam Higby Removed by Police After Tense Campus Confrontation | WATCH

A group of conservative activists from the "Fearless Debates Tour" was removed from Tennessee State University (TSU) on Tuesday, September 23, after setting up an unannounced table on the historically Black college's campus, leading to a tense standoff with students.

The incident, captured in videos shared by group member Cam Higby on X, showed students gathering around the table, shouting chants like "Black Power," and following the group as campus police escorted them away.

The group, including Higby and Lance Johnston, arrived around 3 p.m. wearing "Make America Great Again" hats and carrying signs reading "DEI should be illegal" and "Deport all illegals now! Let’s talk." They described their purpose as honoring the late Charlie Kirk by fostering "honest conversation and open debate" on political topics like DEI policies. Higby stated in an interview, “If you want to talk to people who disagree with you, you go to the place where people disagree with you.”

Footage from Higby's posts depicted an initial calm discussion escalating as a crowd formed, with students surrounding the table, shouting, and some appearing to throw objects. Higby claimed the confrontation turned into a "riot," alleging students stole items, possessed weapons, blocked exits, screamed racist epithets, followed them to their car, attacked the vehicle, and chanted "Black Power."

One video showed students confronting the group's security guard from All Spec Security, with Higby praising the guard for handling the situation alone. Another clip captured voices saying, "Oh my gosh, they threw a drink up top," "Whoa! Did somebody just throw something in our car?" and "They just tried to hit the car," amid sounds of impacts.

TSU officials stated the group was unaffiliated and had not obtained prior approval for their activity, which violates university policy requiring advance permitting for demonstrations or protests. Campus police escorted them off "without incident," and the university emphasized that "at all times, TSU students conducted themselves in a professional and respectful manner." No injuries or arrests were reported.

TSU President Glenda Baskin Glover (referred to as Dwayne Tucker in one report) announced an investigation into how the group accessed the campus and plans to host meetings with students to discuss the event. The university reiterated, “The safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff remain our highest priority. TSU will continue to uphold university policies and ensure that campus remains a safe, welcoming, and orderly environment for all members of our community.”

The Nashville chapter of the NAACP condemned the visit, stating, “This incident was not an isolated act of political expression, it was an intentional effort to antagonize, disrupt, and instill fear in a space meant to be safe and supportive for Black students,” and noted that the rhetoric “echoed a long history of exclusion, racism and systemic oppression.” They added, “While we recognize and respect that free speech is a constitutional right, there is a clear and urgent distinction between constructive dialogue and rhetoric deliberately designed to provoke, demean, and endanger the psychological safety of students at HBCUs.”

In response, the Fearless Debates group posted on X: “To the Leftists asking ‘why would you go to an HBCU to have debates?’ Our answer is simple: why wouldn’t we go to an HBCU? Do leftists not believe that black people have the same rights as everyone else to participate in a dialogue about America’s future?” Higby later called to "Defund Tennessee State University." The group plans to continue unannounced visits to other campuses for safety reasons.

TSU alum Candice Benbow commented on Threads that the incident endangered “the lives of young Black people who are simply trying to get an education,” adding, “The targeting of HBCUs, in this moment, deserves serious and immediate attention from national leadership.” The event occurs amid broader concerns about threats to HBCUs nationwide, including recent lockdowns and security sweeps. TSU's investigation is ongoing.