Conservative students strike back after UC Berkeley cancels Ann Coulter speech

Officials at the University of California at Berkeley canceled conservative commentator Ann Coulter’s April 27 event on Tuesday, citing security concerns and Coulter’s safety.

UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks said police have “very specific intelligence regarding threats that could pose a grave danger to” Coulter, according to an Associated Press report.

Now, students at the notoriously left-leaning college are fighting back. In a letter sent Friday, a lawyer representing the UC Berkeley College Republicans, Harmeet Dhillon, said the students she represents are planning to sue the university if it continues to refuse to let Coulter speak. According to the letter, the College Republicans are arguing UC Berkeley’s rejection of the Coulter event is a violation of the young Republicans’ First Amendment rights.

“It is a sad day indeed when the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement, is morphing before our eyes into the cemetery of free speech on college campuses,” the letter said, according to a report by the Washington Examiner.

Officials at the college told Coulter they would be willing to reschedule the event to May 2, but Coulter rejected the offer, citing other obligations. On Thursday, Coulter attacked UC Berkeley on Twitter for picking the May 2 date, because the university has no courses scheduled for that week; students will be studying for their final exams.

“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!!!" Coulter wrote.

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

In February, 150 masked rioters caused damage to property totaling $100,000 during their protest of a scheduled event that featured controversial former Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos. Only one person was arrested by police.