Attendees and silent protesters packed a University of Colorado Law School room, listening intently to controversial Wall Street Journal columnist Jason Riley and challenging him with questions when his speech, “False Black Power?,” was finished.

Riley began his talk saying “different perspectives” are often not tolerated on college campuses and that he was grateful to be invited by CU student group the Federalist Society to have a discussion.

The columnist and Fox News contributor told the Daily Camera at the end of his speech and Q&A that he wished other universities across the nation would behave like CU in their embrace of free speech.

“I thought it went very well,” Riley said. “The people who disagreed with me were exceedingly nice.”

Members of the CU Black Law Students Association organized a silent protest after the Federalist Society invited Riley to speak on campus about how African-Americans must prioritize economic advancement rather than “political capital” to be successful. The Federalist Society later asked the BLSA to co-sponsor the event, but the association declined the offer and issued a statement refuting Riley’s positions on African-Americans playing the victim.

Student protest organizers Ariel Amaru and Aretha Frazier sat in the front row of the law school’s courtroom — the third location change of the day to accommodate a growing crowd that reached close to 100 people. Protesters dressed in an agreed-upon black color scheme. Amaru wore a shirt that read “black girl magic.”

Amaru and Frazier were pleased with the large turnout, noting that most of the audience sported black clothing.

“I think the Federalist Society can thank us for their best event yet,” Amaru said.

As students in black shirts streamed through the door, law student April Connally beamed.

“This is crazy,” Connally said. “There are a lot of people here, and I appreciate them coming to hear what’s going on.”

During his talk, Riley said, among other things, that inequalities facing African-Americans can’t be fixed politically, noting that instead of blaming others, the black community needed to hold itself accountable for improving economically.

Questions from the audience — many of which contested Riley’s points — included asking Riley why he spoke about Jim Crow laws as if they had a positive impact on the black community and whether he thought the black community should mimic Asian-Americans’ rise to success.

Scott Skinner-Thompson, CU associate professor of law, was given time to rebut Riley’s points, arguing that years of systemic injustice can’t be glossed over when talking about the black community.

When the event was over, Frazier approached Riley, and they continued debating among themselves.

Julian McLendon, a law student in the Federalist Society, said the event was the largest turnout for one of the society’s events he’s seen.

“I’m happy it’s not going to be the kind of protest where they shout down the speaker like I’ve seen happen at other colleges,” McLendon said.

Elizabeth Hernandez: 303-473-1106, hernandeze@dailycamera.com