Hundreds of community members gathered at Tommy Trojan on Monday afternoon to hear individuals debate with conservative media personality Charlie Kirk.

The event was the third stop in Kirk’s “The American Comeback” tour. The tour is billed as allowing students to “debate conventional narratives promoted by leftist academia.”

In addition to staff associated with the tour, individuals from the USC chapter of Turning Point USA distributed fliers with a QR code to event information. The tour also distributed hats that referenced President Donald Trump.

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During the event, at least two students were detained by the Department of Public Safety according to Assistant Chief David Carlisle: one for allegedly spitting at a staff member of the tour and the other for allegedly assaulting a DPS officer when they attempted to remove her for playing music during the event. 

The first person was released because the person reporting the complaint did not choose to press charges, Carlisle said. The latter was transferred to the Los Angeles Police Department Southwest Division.

Kirk debated and conversed with USC students on diversity, equity and inclusion, white privilege, affirmative action, abortion and transgender rights. Kirk said he was “not convinced we should defend Taiwan,” and that preventing illegal immigration from Mexico should take priority over sending aid to Ukraine. 

“The cartels that are invading our country and killing our kids with drug overdoses and guns and crime matters a lot more than the Russian government invading Ukraine,” Kirk claimed. “Our own country is being squeezed by both the cartels and also an unelected oligarchy that is running the country, and that the entire Russian thing is a complete distraction.”

Abortion was also debated during the event. One participant argued in favor of abortion by referencing a study by John Donohue and Steven Levitt that found legalizing abortion led to a decrease in crime. 

In response, Kirk asked “So, if a baby is likely to commit crime, we should just kill it in the womb?”

Kirk voiced support for the release of the Jewish hostages held by Hamas and blamed “liberalism” for the rise of antisemitism. 

“Liberalism is the root that ends up growing and then will swallow, or will then go after, American Jewery,” Kirk said. “American Jews need to stop funding the Left. They are disproportionately the number-one funder of liberal causes, of left-wing non-profits from the [Anti-Defamation League], liberal Jews are funding their own demise everyday.”

At least one other altercation occurred between students in the crowd regarding an individual wearing one of the tour hats. 

Elinam Kudiabor, a freshman majoring in dramatic arts, was involved in the interaction. She questioned the school’s decision to bring Kirk to campus.

“I don’t know why the school chose that this is a good idea, because it’s not giving a safe environment for most of the school’s population, like LGBTQ[IA+], Black people, any people of color as well,” Kudiabor said. “It’s really not cute.”

Channin Zhao, a sophomore majoring in philosophy, said beside that interaction, he thought the event sparked some peaceful discussion between people in the crowd. 

“We disagreed, but we had a very peaceful discussion,” Zhao said. “These things happen. We bring an opposite voice on campus.”

Ali Bhatti, a sophomore majoring in business administration, took issue with several things Kirk said. 

“I am completely indifferent to the decision to bring him. However, I did not believe he [had] a productive conversation.” Bhatti said. “I think he misrepresented the facts.”

After the event, Kirk said he “thought it went really well.”