The University of California Berkeley has canceled an upcoming appearance from conservative pundit Ann Coulter after school officials feared that a safe venue could not be found.
Coulter says that UC Berkeley is responsible for the cancelation due to their concerns over violent protests. Furthermore, Coulter criticized the group who originally sponsored her speech, Young America’s Foundation, for backing out after originally suing the school for the right to have Coulter speak.
Coulter, one of the most divisive commentators in the country, was scheduled to give a speech critical of pro-immigration policies on Thursday, April 27. She announced the university’s decision in a series of tweets.
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
I am so grateful to people like Bill Maher, Chris Matthews and Margaret Carlson for opposing Berkeley’s censorship.
— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) April 26, 2017
Berkeley officials previously said that there was no safe venue at the campus for Coulter to speak, citing violent demonstrations by left-wing protestors before a February appearance from Milo Yiannopoulos.
Coulter says that despite the cancelation of her speech, she may still visit campus on that day anyway.
