Ann Coulter Vows to Speak After Berkeley Cancels

Ann Coulter fired off an angry stream of tweets Wednesday, vowing to speak as planned next week at the University of California, Berkeley after campus officials called off the event for security concerns. "I WILL BE SPEAKING NEXT THURSDAY," the right-wing commentator tweeted, calling the move to cancel her planned event on April 27 a ban on free speech. Coulter was invited to speak at Berkeley by campus Republicans on the subject of illegal immigration, the AP reports. The event raised concerns of more violence at Berkeley, where masked rioters smashed windows, set fires, and shut down an appearance by former Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos in February.

University officials sent the Berkeley College Republicans a letter Tuesday, saying that officials and campus police had determined they could not ensure the safety of Coulter, audience members, or protesters expected at the event. "We have been unable to find a safe and suitable venue," said the letter from Vice Chancellor Scott Biddy and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Stephen Sutton. "Given current active security threats, it is not possible to assure that the event could be held successfully." The cancellation comes days after violent clashes between far-right and far-left protesters Saturday at a rally supporting President Trump in downtown Berkeley. (More Ann Coulter stories.)