College Republican clubs keep inviting Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos to speak on campuses, and demonstrators keep coming out to protest the polarizing self-proclaimed internet troll and alt-right provocateur. One protester was shot outside a Yiannopoulos speech at the University of Washington on Jan. 20, and demonstrators shut down a speech he was supposed to give at the University of California at Davis a week earlier. On Wednesday night, police at UC Berkeley scrapped a planned Yiannopoulos speech two hours beforehand due to a large protest that turned violent.
Some 1,500 protesters had been gathered peacefully outside the venue when a small group wearing black showed up and started breaking windows and throwing stuff; they also lit a huge bonfire. "This was a group of agitators who were masked up, throwing rocks, commercial grade fireworks, and Molotov cocktails at officers," said UC Berkeley Police Chief Margo Bennet. Under those conditions, police couldn't guarantee Yiannopoulos' safety. There were no immediate reports of serious injury or arrests. By 8 p.m., the final 100 or so protesters danced off campus to a brass band. You can watch some of the mayhem below. Peter Weber
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Last hopes for justice for UK's nuclear test veteransUnder the Radar Thousands of ex-service personnel say their lives have been blighted by aggressive cancers and genetic mutations
-
'It may not be surprising that creative work is used without permission'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
5 simple items to help make your airplane seat more comfortableThe Week Recommends Gel cushions and inflatable travel pillows make a world of difference
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
-
Art and protest in IranUnder the Radar Regime cracks down on creatives who helped turn nationwide Woman, Life, Freedom protests 'into a cultural uprising'
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
-
Momofuku's 'Chili Crunch' trademark uproarSpeed Read The company's attempt to own the sole rights has prompted backlash
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain PrizeSpeed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
-
Is Downton Abbey set to return for a final film?Speed Read Imelda Staunton reveals that a third movie may be in the pipeline
-
'Oppenheimer' sweeps Oscars with 7 winsspeed read The film won best picture, best director (Christopher Nolan) and best actor (Cillian Murphy)
-
'Rust' armorer convicted of manslaughterspeed read The film's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed by actor Alec Baldwin during rehearsal
