Conservative commentator Ann Coulter on Wednesday called the University of California at Berkeley a “radical thuggish institution” after she canceled a speech at the school originally scheduled for Thursday amid concerns about violence.
“It is a dark day for free speech in America,” Coulter tweeted. “It’s sickening when a radical thuggish institution like Berkeley can so easily snuff out the cherished American right to free speech.”
I’m so sorry Berkeley canceled my speech. I’m so sorry YAF acquiesced in the cancelation. And I'm so sorry for free speech crushed by thugs.
— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) April 26, 2017
I’m so sorry Berkeley had a different story every 20 minutes, which always was: No speech.
— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) April 26, 2017
If we had continued to fight we would have won.
— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) April 26, 2017
I’m very sad about Berkeley's cancelation, but my sadness is greater than that. It is a dark day for free speech in America.
— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) April 26, 2017
It’s sickening when a radical thuggish institution like Berkeley can so easily snuff out the cherished American right to free speech.
— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) April 26, 2017
In fact, Coulter canceled the appearance after the conservative group backing her, Young America’s Foundation, dropped its efforts to secure a room for her speech. In a statement posted Tuesday on its website, the group cited concerns about “leftist thugs who have terrorized Berkeley’s campus.”
“Ms. Coulter may still choose to speak in some form on campus, but Young America’s Foundation will not jeopardize the safety of its staff or students,” the group said.
In February, UC Berkeley canceled an appearance by Milo Yiannopoulos, then an editor at Breitbart News, after protesters started fires, threw Molotov cocktails, pushed metal barricades into windows and threw rocks and fireworks at police, per a statement by the school.
At least 20 people were arrested earlier in April after violence broke out between rallies for and against President Donald Trump in downtown Berkeley.
“There’s nothing more I can do,” Coulter said in an email to Fox News on Wednesday. “I looked over my shoulder and my allies had joined the other team.”
Administrators at the school canceled Coulter’s appearance last week, saying they were “unable to find a safe and suitable venue” for the event.
A day later, Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas B. Dirks reversed that decision and proposed to reschedule Coulter’s speech to May 2. She rejected that offer.
I'm speaking at Berkeley on April 27th, as I was invited to do and have a contract to do. https://t.co/thkiODIsSi
— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) April 20, 2017
In addition to facts: We've already spent $ for 4/27 Berkeley spc & I can't do May 2…THERE ARE NO CLASSES AT BERKELEY THE WEEK OF MAY 2!!!
— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) April 21, 2017
Hey, you off-brand rhetoric-whore? You are well past your sell-by date. Nobody cares about your verbal bomb-throwing when there’s an actual fascist thug in the White House.
I’m gonna have to take her word. She’s an expert in all things radical and thuggish.
This is exactly why she scheduled the speech to begin with. So it could be canceled and she could piss and moan about “Berkeley leftists”. Plus she likely gets to keep the speaking fee. It’s a win/win for her.
To my knowledge, the U.S. Constitution does not mention college campuses with regards to free speech. Try again.
The Berkeley Chancellor, overruling the prior decision, offered Coulter the opportunity to speak and she rejected it. Now she makes this incendiary claim? One can never expect Coulter to face her own radical statements. Why try? She’s a carnival barker.