Protests and Safety Emergency at Pitt Over Transgender Speaker

Protests broke out at the University of Pittsburgh over a speaker event on transgender issues featuring conservative political commentators Michael Knowles and Brad Polumbo. The event was originally supposed to include a debate with transgender author and professor Deirdre McCloskey, but she backed out, citing Knowles' previous comments on "transgenderism." Protestors appeared several hours ahead of the scheduled discussion, and police warned of a "public safety emergency." An incendiary device was set off outside the student center before the event, and several buildings were closed as a precautionary measure. Protestors who were able to get inside the event chanted "trans rights are human rights" before being urged to leave by police.