Two events originating from the University now are drawing attention from across the state.
Gov. Bobby Jindal’s prayer rally, “The Response,” will take place Saturday at the PMAC. The event is subject to protests against the sponsoring organization, the American Family Association, for its stance against the LGBT community.
The University student- and faculty-coordinated protest, “Organize, Reflect, Act: A Day of Action for Justice in Louisiana,” will meet at the Memorial Bell Tower before marching to protest at the PMAC.
“I honestly thought it was only going to be 30 people outside with signs,” said public administration graduate student and protest organizer Peter Jenkins. “We have people coming from Lafayette and Lake Charles and other cities in Louisiana that I’ve never heard of, which is surprising because I thought I had heard of all the cities.”
There will be panel discussions and workshops on social media activism, grassroots lobbying, direct action and intersectional coalitions.
“We end up empowering a community that is equipped to deal with the kind of injustice and hate that we see on parade,” said assistant English professor Chris Barrett.
Sessions will be led by experts from each field, Jenkins said.
“The intersectional coalition training is about bringing these groups with different focuses and bringing them together to connect,” he said.
Jenkins hopes around 800 participants attend. He said the protest has found a lot of support in Christian groups that disagree with AFA.
“Most of the people that are coming to this rally are coming because they believe that inclusion and diversity make us stronger,” Jenkins said.
LSUPD will provide protection for both events, said LSUPD spokesman Capt. Cory Lalonde.
Lalonde said he does not expect violence from either side, but officers will be playing it safe. The Baton Rouge Police Department and the Louisiana State Police also will be involved.
“We do have to err on the side of caution,” Lalonde said. “We’re planning for the worst but hoping for the best. We are going to have additional personnel on campus.”
Saturday’s prayer rally is similar to one held by former Texas Gov. Rick Perry. Perry’s event drew about 35,000 people and was sponsored by the AFA. Perry later announced his 2012 presidential campaign.
Student response will go a long way showing the AFA’s views do not align with the University, Barrett said.
“What is happening in the PMAC is a disgrace,” Barrett said. “The world should know that LSU is bigger than the American Family Association’s hate and that LSU is smarter than the American Family Association’s ignorance.”