New College of Florida is rescheduling a public conversation in Sarasota with conservative British personality Russell Brand, days after he was charged with rape and sexual assault in London.
The conversation on free speech, censorship and cultural power was originally scheduled for Saturday. It was part of the Socratic Stage Dialogue Series, which the college says "seeks to advance civil discourse through open discussion on public policy issues."
According to a New College news release, the decision to reschedule "follows changes in event logistics, including the unavailability of the previously planned venue, the Sarasota Opera House." Because of this, the event had been moved to a smaller on-campus theater with no tickets available for general access.
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Following a conversation with Brand's team, the college said everyone involved agreed to move the event to a later date to allow for more access and engagement.
"While the conversation remains important, and possibly never more relevant, it is clear the current media climate is a distraction from the deeper purpose of the event — to explore free speech and civil discourse through open dialogue," New College wrote.
The statement makes no mention of the allegations against Brand, a comedian, actor and podcaster whose political views turned from liberal to conservative during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Associated Press reported on April 4 that Brand was charged with rape and sexual assault following an 18-month investigation stemming from accusations by four women.
Brand denied the allegations, saying in a video on the social media platform X that he has "never engaged in non-consensual activity."
In 2023, British media outlets Channel 4 and the Sunday Times published the accusations by the women, who have not been identified.
London's Metropolitan Police said Brand faces one count of rape, one count of indecent assault, one of oral rape and two of sexual assault.
At least one group had announced a planned protest of Brand's appearance in Sarasota.
New College director of public policy events, Alexandra Nicole Islas, said in the statement that the school looks "forward to welcoming Brand to the campus at a future date under conditions that allow for thoughtful and topical engagement from both the public and our academic community."
"At New College, we remain committed to creating spaces for honest and often challenging conversations. Free speech is not a performance — it's a principle," Islas said. "While we continue to support the intention behind this event, we also recognize that timing and context matter."
New College said that details about the rescheduled event will be shared through official communication channels. A new date has yet to be announced.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
