UC Berkeley Reverses Decision to Ban Ann Coulter Speech

Officials at UC Berkeley reversed their decision Thursday to cancel a speech by conservative commentator Ann Coulter. 

School administrators cancelled the speech Tuesday, saying they could not find a safe venue to host the event on campus. 

"We have been unable to find a safe and suitable venue," said the letter from Vice Chancellor Scott Biddy and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Stephen Sutton. "Given current active security threats, it is not possible to assure that the event could be held successfully."

UC Berkeley students are known to riot and shut down speeches by conservatives on campus. 

Coulter, however, vowed to speak anyway. She sent out an angry stream of tweets Wednesday night, calling the move to cancel her event a ban on free speech.
 

No school accepting public funds can ban free speech. https://t.co/EQsiAEWPpW

— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) April 19, 2017

While the event is still back on, Berkeley's campus Republicans say they are putting strict conditions on it.

"We have been unable to find a safe and suitable venue," said the letter from Vice Chancellor Scott Biddy and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Stephen Sutton. "Given current active security threats, it is not possible to assure that the event could be held successfully."

Violent protests by liberal students are impacting free speech on college campuses across the country.

Back in the mid 60s, Berkeley was actually the home of the Free Speech Movement. Student Mario Savio addressed university officials, calling on them to return the school to its "intended function," and allow students to explore all ideas, whether radical or mainstream, without fear of social or academic repercussion.

Now fires blaze across the university when a controversial speaker is set to appear on campus or a controversial viewpoint is expressed. 

In February, protesters shut down an appearance by former Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos, smashing windows and setting fires. And only last week there were violent clashes at a rally supporting President Donald Trump in downtown Berkeley.