Berkeley To Go Through With Coulter Speech; Coulter Says No

UPDATE: Ann Coulter said no to a proposal by the University of California, Berkeley, that would reschedule her planned speech on campus — to a date when no formal classes are in session.

“You cannot impose arbitrary and harassing restrictions on the exercise of a constitutional right,” Coulter told “Hannity” on Thursday night. “None of this has to do with security.”

PREVIOUSLY: The University of California at Berkeley on Thursday said it would allow conservative commentator Ann Coulter to speak on campus next month, a reversal of its decision a day earlier to cancel her speech out of fears that it could lead to the same kinds of violence that have marred recent protests here.

The back-and-forth about Coulter’s planned appearance in this liberal haven comes after repeated violent outbursts at protests and speeches on this campus and elsewhere since President Donald Trump’s election. Rallies in and around Berkeley have devolved into near-riots that have included bloody fistfights and molotov cocktails. Left-wing activists have clashed with Trump supporters, and anarchists in black masks have squared off against self-proclaimed militia groups.

(c) 2017, The Washington Post · Perry Stein, William Wan

{Matzav}