Chloe Cole postpones UW TPUSA event after safety concerns
chloe cole said the Turning Points USA event at the University of Washington was postponed after student criticism and safety concerns surrounding a May 13 campus appearance. The event, a “Pick Up the Mic” program with Cole, had been planned for the evening of May 13.
UW students had pressed the university to cancel or reschedule the appearance days after the fatal stabbing of a 19-year-old transgender student. Seattle police Detective Eric Muñoz said the victim was believed to be a 19-year-old transgender female.
University of Washington response
University spokesperson Victor Balta said in an email that his understanding was that the national TPUSA organization had decided to cancel the event. Turning Points USA UW said the program was produced with the Intercollegiate Studies Institute.
UW President Robert J. Jones said on Monday that investigators had not identified a suspect or a motive. He also said the Division of Student Life was reaching out to students affected and providing support and resources.
Cole posts postponement
Cole first told supporters on the organization’s official Instagram account on Tuesday night, writing, “Thank you guys for staying strong through the pressure and keeping the event going” and “I’m excited to be there tomorrow.” Near 8 p.m. Seattle time, she made the postponement public and blamed a “local militia” formed by “antifa.”
She said the organization’s security team and police department would be “unprepared” for the event. Cole also said, “Before Charlie Kirk’s assassination, I think I would have been less careful.”
UW event after the stabbing
The change leaves the university event off the May 13 schedule after students said the campus should not host the speaker so soon after the killing. The fatal stabbing and the student pressure are the facts driving the postponement, and the university’s own statement shows campus administrators were already trying to support students affected by the death.
For students who had been urging a change, the immediate result is simple: the appearance Cole had been promoting for Tuesday night is no longer moving forward as planned. The larger issue now is whether TPUSA and UW will settle on a new date or a different format for the campus visit.
