The 7 most outrageous student protests in 2016

Over the past year, students have been noticeably more politically active than usual due to the election cycle. Controversial speakers spoke, posters displayed, and student groups supported various candidates.

This resulted in many protests and, ultimately, 2016 became the year of the passionate protester.

Here are the seven most outrageous student protests:

7. Students tear down anti-Hillary flyers because they 'don't agree'

Students at the University of Florida were caught tearing down pro-Trump and anti-Hillary posters on Election Day. When asked why they were tearing down the signs, responses ranged from “I don’t agree with it, it’s offensive,” to “I plead the Fifth.”

After another student tore down posters, she said that, “this campus should not support violence, and that is violence,” while trying to attempt to explain “the difference between free speech and actually supporting violence.”

Don’t ask us how campaign posters are violent. We’re still trying to figure it out, ourselves.

6. Code Pink students disrupt Trump speech to protest ‘horrifying’ language

In June, student protesters interrupted a campaign speech by Donald Trump, shouting “Stop trump, Stop hate.” Trump responded by labeling them “professional agitators.”

These students were members of “Code Pink” a feminist movement founded in response to the Iraq War. They claimed they were protesting “Trump’s hateful language,” adding “[w]e don’t stop talking about these people who are being harmed in war-torn regions, you know, the role that America has played in making these regions the way that they are.”

5. Brown students vandalize U.S. flags on eve of Veterans Day

On Veterans Day, a few students at Brown University engaged in a silent protest of snatching up American flags from a memorial and tossing them on the ground.

4. 'Trump Wall' triggers pro-Hillary students at Penn State

A pro-Trump rally at Penn State University was met with vandalism as protesters ripped up plastic signs supporting the candidate. Not only was the group that held this event, forbidden from using “Trump” in their name, but they also had to defend their symbolic Trump wall from the protestors.

The students were later fined for ripping down the signs. In response, they created an online donation page to have others help them pay the $362 fine.

Another protester asked the members of the club “What does he [Trump] do for gay people?” To which a member responds “What does Hillary do for gay people?”

The protester responded that, “[s]he at least pretends to do stuff for gay people.”

What does ripping down the signs do for Hillary? Well, at least the students pretended it was doing something for Hillary.

3. Students endure shoving, verbal taunts for chance to hear Milo speak at AU

In April, students at the American University protested an event featuring Milo Yiannopoulos. Students shouted their grievances, and even pushed a man wearing a Trump shirt and followed him, chanting “kick him out, kick him out.”

During the event’s Q & A time, a high school student declared that, “[s]ince I’ve been here I’ve been almost jumped, harassed multiple times by other black people, just for being here supporting you.”

Civil discourse at its best, folks!

2. SJW's overrun YAF meeting to protest 'feelings' remark

In October, students at the University of Kansas attended a conservative club’s meeting to have a discussion about Black Lives Matter, racism, and safe spaces.

When one of the conservative students tried to define the term “intellectual safe space,” a visiting student shouted “I am not retreating I am making myself safe and comfortable.”

The meeting was tense with various students shouting and one student banging on the tables.

Your passion didn’t go unnoticed, but what did doing your best Khrushchev imitation get you, exactly?

1. UMass Amherst students throw temper tantrum at free speech event

In April, students at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst disrupted an event that featured Christina Hoff Sommers, Milo Yiannopoulos, and Steven Crowder.

The event was supposed to be a panel discussion between the three on political correctness on college campuses, but protesters seemed intent on disrupting the event as loudly and as often as possible.

Notably, one protester earned the appellation “Trigglypuff” online. Was her protest effective? No. But she earns first place because this was truly 2016’s tantrum heard around the world.