Coulter Cancels Berkeley Speech After Conservative Student Groups Pull Support
In an eleventh hour about-face, Ann Coulter on Wednesday said she would cancel her planned speech at the University of California, Berkeley, after losing the backing of two conservative groups that had filed a federal lawsuit to ensure her right to appear.聽
In a posted to its website, Young America鈥檚 Foundation 鈥� one of two groups that took legal action earlier this week 鈥� said it could no longer participate in sponsoring the speech after the university, citing threats of violence, said it could not accommodate Coulter on the date and time of her scheduled speech.
鈥淏erkeley should be ashamed for creating this hostile atmosphere. 鈥� YAF is pressing forward with its lawsuit against UC-Berkeley, and looks forward to the day when First Amendment freedoms are enjoyed by conservative students,鈥� YAF said. 鈥淢s. Coulter may still choose to speak in some form on campus, but Young America鈥檚 Foundation will not jeopardize the safety of its staff or students.鈥�
The Berkeley College Republicans, which joined YAF in challenging the cancellation, also signed the statement. 聽
鈥淚鈥檓 very sad about Berkeley鈥檚 cancellation, but my sadness is greater than that. It is a dark day for free speech in America,鈥� Coulter said on
The battle surrounding Coulter鈥檚 right to speak highlights a growing schism on America鈥檚 campuses over the application of free speech, especially when schools are faced with risking student safety as violence between alt-right extremists and antifascist protesters becomes more frequent. While universities such as Berkeley, and Auburn earlier this month, have cited a threat of violence as justification to cancel appearances by white nationalists and hard-right conservatives, many have questioned if such cancellations amount to censorship.聽
鈥淲hat are you afraid of 鈥斅爃er ideas? Ask her the hard questions,鈥� Bernie Sanders told earlier this week. 鈥淏ooing people down, or intimidating people, or shutting down events, I don鈥檛 think that works in any way.鈥�
Despite pulling its support, YAF sent a series of Tweets on Wednesday seeming to dampen any criticism in light of recent developments, saying it 鈥渄id not capitulate to the Left or run from anything. In fact our students are there everyday.鈥�
聽鈥淎t no time was there ever a space of lecture time confirmed for Ann Coulter to speak,鈥� the organization said. 鈥淐onservatives shouldn鈥檛 be relegated to speaking outside under the threat of violence when liberals are given venues anytime they wish.鈥�
Also on Wednesday, Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas B. Dirks sent a note to the campus criticizing what he described as a disregard for student safety from conservatives, .
鈥淪adly and unfortunately, concern for student safety seems to be in short supply in certain quarters,鈥� Dirks said. 鈥淭his is a university, not a battlefield. 鈥� We must make every effort to hold events at a time and location that maximizes the chances that First Amendment rights can be successfully exercised and that community members can be protected.鈥�
