Ten student ticket-holders heading into a University of Central Missouri forum to hear President Obama speak on Wednesday were turned away at the door for what staffers at the event described as security reasons.

The students were all wearing T-shirts and clothing items that touted pro-tea party, patriotic and Republican messages, National Review Online reported.

Staffers at the event told the group’s treasurer, Courtney Scott, that they weren’t being turned away due to political reasons, The College Fix reported. Rather, they were seen as a security threat because of their boldly emblazoned ideological views coupled with their participation in protests earlier in the day.

“It just didn’t make sense,” Ms. Scott said, to The College Fix. “A lot of us traveled several hours to watch the speech. We were very disappointed not to be able to attend.”

She also said group members weren’t carrying any of their protest or picket signs to the door of the forum. About 2,500 other people attended the speech, which focused on the state of the nation’s economy.

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