Protesters issued death threats and disrupted a talk by Department of Homeland Security General Counsel James Percival at the UCLA School of Law this week.
Percival joined “The Will Cain Show” Thursday and explained why he went through with the constitutional law discussion as student activists tried to drown out the event with loud noises and insults.
“I might get death threats when I go on a college campus, but the people I work with at DHS get death threats just for showing up to work every day,” Percival said. “I really felt like I had an obligation to the people I work with not to back down, to show up and take some abuse.”
The event, hosted by the Federalist Society’s UCLA chapter, was intended to be a professional conversation on DHS legal operations. Instead, more than 150 protesters gathered inside and outside the venue.
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Students booed, called him a “Nazi” and held signs, including one that read: “F— you loser.” Percival described the experience as “not pleasant.”
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In a new statement to Fox News Digital, UCLA Law Dean Michael Waterstone admitted that the disruption required disciplinary intervention. He noted that multiple individuals were issued warnings and either escorted from the event or left of their own accord.
“Legal education and the practice of law require a willingness to question assumptions and engage opposing arguments seriously. This should involve approaching difficult conversations with civility and respect, and careful listening,” Waterstone said.
“While the moderated conversation continued throughout, and the event proceeded to its conclusion, we recognize some disruption, and UCLA School of Law is reviewing all policies and will take necessary steps to ensure student groups can host speakers in an environment of civil engagement.”
“Students should have the ability to challenge content they disagree with, and speakers cannot be limited because some disagree with the content of their speech. Anything less is antithetical to our profession, and commitment to academic freedom and the open exchange of ideas,” he added.
Percival praised the police for effectively ensuring his safety, but said the university leadership failed to ensure the event would remain orderly.
“The administration made me promises. They promised to me and my team that they would maintain decorum in the classroom. And I think they utterly failed to live up to that promise,” Percival said.
He also said that, as a former conservative student on a liberal campus, he valued visiting speakers, calling it “unfortunate” that conservative students at UCLA were deprived of that experience.
The DHS responded to the protests in a post on X, writing: “While DHS’ General Counsel James Percival attempted to speak, anti-ICE agitators repeatedly interrupted him, called him a Nazi, and created an environment of chaos. This continued dehumanization of DHS and the patriots who protect our Homeland must end.”
