Harvard would seem a somewhat unlikely location for the event, considering its liberal reputation. But that reputation makes it a good site for the conference, Barker said.

"I think it's good to have an event like this in such a citadel of political correctness," Barker said. "That's what I view Harvard as."

Epps emphasized the College's "strongly held view that groups have a right to invite speakers of their choosing, and that other member of the college are expected to hold to those principals."

The president of the Harvard Friends of the Spartacus Youth League, Eva S. Bartok '97, said "they will honor traditions of free speech at Harvard," Epps said.

But when questioned about the professed peaceful nature of the rally, League spokesperson Thomas Downing said only that "our intention is to build as large a possible a demonstration in order to stop Operation Rescue....They're trying to use a cloak of academia to promote their terrorist views."

So far, no other Harvard groups have planned reactions to the conference