Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad [AP]
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NEW YORK - Columbia University planned Friday to go forward with a speech by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, while the city mobilized security to protect him from protests during his New York visit.
Ahmadinejad, who is to arrive in New York on Sunday to address the United Nations General Assembly, is scheduled to speak at a Columbia question-and-answer forum on Monday. His request to lay a wreath at the World Trade Center site was denied and condemned by September 11 family members and politicians.
Several Columbia students -- even some who planned to rally against him -- said they supported his appearance.
"He's a leader of a large nation and what he says is important, even if it's wrong," said Dmitry Zakharov, 25, a Columbia University graduate student.
The Iranian mission has not disclosed Ahmadinejad's specific itinerary. Ahmadinejad told CBS' "60 Minutes" that he would not stop at the World Trade Center site after his request to lay a wreath at the base of the twin towers was denied.