KENT, Ohio -- Democratic presidential hopeful Beto O’Rourke spoke Wednesday evening at Kent State University about his plans to confiscate assault-style rifles, reform immigration and forgive student loans.

The former Texas congressman spoke on the plaza in front of KSU’s Student Center about how he felt compelled to address gun-violence and racism after the Aug. 3 mass shooting in his hometown of El Paso.

“White supremacists must become the number-one domestic law enforcement priority in the United States of America,” he said.

O’Rourke, who has been polling around 2.5% according to Real Clear Politics, has stood out from other Democratic presidential candidates due to his progressive stance on guns, including a mandatory federal buyback of AR-15 type guns and AK-47s.

Gun violence plays an important role in the history of Kent State University, where the Ohio National Guard opened fire on students and others gathered on May 4, 1970 to protest the Vietnam War and the bombing of Cambodia. Four students were killed and nine others were injured.

Earlier on Wednesday, O’Rourke met with Alan Canfora, who was one of the nine students wounded in 1970.

“Alan Canfora was willing to sacrifice his life to make sure that this country did the right thing,” O’Rourke said. Canfora and others like him are “owed credit” for ending the United States’ involvement in Vietnam.

The Texan said social change has historically come from young people, whether it was the anti-Vietnam protesters at Kent State, or Civil Rights activists in the 1960s.

O’Rourke advocated for universal background checks, red flag laws and getting assault rifles off the streets.

Throughout his 20-minute speech and about 10 minutes of questions, O’Rourke also discussed reproductive rights, equality for women and LGBTQ people and climate change, including his proposed bans on fossil fuels and fracking.

Katie Wolfe, a Kent State senior from Brunswick, told cleveland.com after the speech that she was inspired to see a presidential candidate prioritize college students.

“I thought it was really good to hear his views in-person,” she said. “I’d only seen him on TV, so far, and I think it’s really good to have us college kids represented.”

Ron Jones is a member of the Akron-Canton Proud Boys, which was one of a handful of conservative groups that protested O’Rourke’s message.

“We wanted to come out to spark a conversation, talk to them about what the politicians they support mean when they say ‘common-sense’ gun regulation,” Jones told cleveland.com in front of his group’s display of different types of weapons.

Although O’Rourke and other Democrats have focused on getting rid of assault rifles, some hunting rifles “shoot just as fast and just as big, or larger bullets,” Jones said.

Jones said the conversations were mostly productive and pleasant, “minus being assaulted.”

Someone threw a milkshake at the Proud Boys - the most recent of such incidents involving conservatives. In separate incidents earlier this year, demonstrators threw milkshakes at journalist Andy Ngo and Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage.

“Ironic that we’re out here, armed, and we’re not the ones bringing any violence,” Jones said.