By Sophia Rose

Sororities and fraternities on the University of Florida think about measures to prepare with the Thursday event on campus and combat hate speech.

The UF Panhellenic Council and UF Interfraternity Council began a “Love Not Hate” campaign reacting to Richard Spencer’s message of animosity, said Ethan Heller, vp of membership for IFC.

Both organizations are encouraging sorority and fraternity chapters to hang banners while using words “Love Not Hate #TogetherUF” ahead of their homes.

“The IFC has always been extremely inclusive, and Richard Spencer stands for the alternative of the particular,” Heller said. “We planned to raise these banners denoting unity and also a renouncement of his rhetoric.”

All banners will likely be raised by Wednesday in readiness for his Thursday speech at UF.

Heller said IFC and Panhellenic needed to host an alternative event during Spencer’s speech, but because Gov. Rick Scott declared situations of emergency, the organizations wanted everyone to live within the safety of chapter houses and houses.

“Our chapter presidents were excited all across the board to participate in such a and assist President Fuchs, but it became a great effort between both councils,” said Jake Dube, president of IFC.

Many organizations are hosting alternative events while doing so as Spencer’s speech to be a style of civil protest against his message plus the National Policy Institute.

Director of sorority and fraternity affairs Jack Causseaux said within the email to all or any chapter presidents that the new UF website, freespeech.ufl.edu, was introduced to “provide info on freedom of expression and controversial speakers as well as strategies questions” for the event.

Causseaux said students may take place from a combination of events that promote dialogue, education and also the sense of community in the event, all tied together with the hashtag #TogetherUF.

This incorporates a virtual assembly that students could log into all at once of Spencer’s event, Causseaux said.

Panhellenic and IFC also are providing an empty floor on Thursday so people can voice their opinions and feelings about Spencer and the ideology.

“We will be home ignoring his hate speech and providing a forum for virtually every an associate the IFC or Panhellenic communities to communicate their feelings within this week’s social climate and also other conditions important to them,” said Heller.

Dube declared every one of the chapter presidents were excited to participate within this campaign and talk with President Kent Fuchs.

“It was really a great effort between both councils,” he stated.

Capt. Jeff Holcomb, the neighborhood Service Division Commander for that University of Florida Police Department, said that more officers than normal are going to be on campus on Thursday on the lookout for suspicious activity in connection with the event. However, he explained UFPD shall be operating regularly and giving an answer to normal calls.

His primary advice to students in the week should be to follow any instruction provided by the police for you to facilitate effective control of any situation that may arise.

Giulana Kissel, Panhellenic delegate for Alpha Omicron Pi sorority, stated that the campaign was another effort supply showing that UF failed to stand it solidarity with Spencer’s ideas.

“I think we did this just to cause it to known that under no circumstances should we agree with anything he believes in,” said Kissel. “I think the easiest way to combat his message is actually putting it all out there that any of us take issue and merely not provide a persons vision we all believe he wants.”