Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez spoke at the Phillips Center yesterday, and quite an exciting time was had by all.

Like an omen to the soon-to-be circus inside, protesters dressed as Abu Ghraib detainees kneeled outside the Phillips Center where Alberto Gonzales was scheduled to speak.

Others held signs with messages like "Civil Liberties Rapist," while still more handed out pamphlets to the entering audience and asked for students to sign various petitions.

Inside, at least a dozen spectators wore yellow shirts with the word "Shame" written across them and stood with their backs to Gonzales as he spoke.  "Shame loves you!" was chanted for a brief moment and other outbursts from the audience were quite common.

Gonzales took some heat during his speech but overall did not succumb to the catcalls and booing.

The largest disruption came when two Abu Ghraib look-a-likes, with their orange jumpsuits and covered heads, marched up to the stage at the beginning of his speech. One stood by Gonzales' side. Mixed reactions came from the audience.

At intervals, others followed suit with protesting signs. Even more Abu Ghraib protesters marched up to the stage.

Most of the protesters were escorted out by the post-Andrew Meyers, deliberately calm campus police. All protesters complied with the police--probably frightened of being tasered.
    
Gonzales received $40,000 for his speech which is, according to census data, about as much as the average yearly salary in America.  Maybe the price factored in abuse from the audience?

OTR looks forward to The Alligator's take on the event.