In Reversal, College Adviser Who Was Grabbed by Far-Right Speaker Is Criminally Charged

In late November, Lucian Wintrich, a far-right speaker, grabbed a woman at the University of Connecticut after she swiped his notes off his lectern, and he was arrested on a charge of “breach of peace.”

That charge has since been dropped against Mr. Wintrich, a writer for the far-right website Gateway Pundit. And in a reversal, the police have charged the woman, Catherine Gregory, an employee of Quinebaug Valley Community College, on charges of attempted theft and disorderly conduct, reports the Hartford Courant.

Mr. Wintrich’s speech the night of November 28 was already hectic. Some had raised concerns about his appearance on the campus. And the title of his talk, “It’s OK to Be White,” came from the internet community 4chan, a haven for white-nationalist views. Throughout his speech, audience members booed and heckled Mr. Wintrich.

But the frenzy intensified into a scuffle after Ms. Gregory grabbed some papers from the lectern from which Mr. Wintrich had been speaking. Video showed Mr. Wintrich rushing Ms. Gregory and grabbing her. Police officers quickly broke up the altercation and arrested Mr. Wintrich.

According to a police affidavit, Ms. Gregory was able to leave the auditorium where the speech had been held. By the next day, Ms. Gregory had been identified on Twitter, and a “concerned citizen” reported her to the university police. The police documents also reveal that Ms. Gregory is on leave from her position as associate director of career services and advising at Quinebaug.

Her lawyer told the Hartford Courant that Ms. Gregory didn’t regret taking the notes to protest hateful language. Mr. Wintrich’s lawyer said that his client had been unfairly targeted and that they would ask for a “brief period of incarceration” for Ms. Gregory.

The university’s president, Susan Herbst, had called the evening “disappointing.” She also announced new rules, which included reviewing speakers’ backgrounds, requesting guest lists, and planning for disruptions, the newspaper reported.

Chris Quintana is a breaking-news reporter. Follow him on Twitter @cquintanadc or email him at chris.quintana@chronicle.com.