Donald Trump Threatens To Cut UC Berkeley Funding After Violent Protests Over Milo Yiannopoulos Talk

The president accused the uni of violence and censorship.
LOADINGERROR LOADING

Donald Trump has intervened in a row over free speech after violent protests erupted at a top US university over by alt-right British journalist Milo Yiannopoulos speaking there.

The president accused UC Berkeley, which had planned to host a talk about cultural appropriation by Breitbart editor Yiannopoulos, of censorship and violence.

He also appeared to threaten to pull federal funding to the west coast institution, which has almost 40,000 students.

Donald Trump has threatened to cut funding to UC Berkeley after violent protests erupted over a planned talk by Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos
Donald Trump has threatened to cut funding to UC Berkeley after violent protests erupted over a planned talk by Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos
Evan Vucci/AP

In a tweet shared this morning, Trump wrote: “If UC Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS?”

Breitbart’s former chairman Steve Bannon is now White House chief strategist after stepping down to become CEO of Trump’s presidential campaign.

Yiannopoulos also accused the university of not wanting his speech to happen, saying in a video on his Facebook page that police officers had taken a “sit back and let it happen” approach to the protests.

Milo Yiannopoulos was set to give a speech about cultural appropriation as part of his 'Dangerous Faggot' US campus tour
Milo Yiannopoulos was set to give a speech about cultural appropriation as part of his 'Dangerous Faggot' US campus tour
Barcroft Media via Getty Images

The tech journalist was evacuated and the university was put on lockdown after violence broke out at a 1,500-strong demonstration against his appearance on campus, which was due to take place on Wednesday.

According to university police, a smaller group of protestors toppled lamp poles, started fires and hurled objects at officers.

The campus was put on lockdown after violence erupted and fires were lit
The campus was put on lockdown after violence erupted and fires were lit
Ben Margot/AP

The Guardian also reported that protesters wearing black face masks and carrying glittery flags set off fireworks and smashed windows.

Photos also show that the phrase “Kill Trump” had been spray-painted around the campus.

UC Berkeley has yet to respond to Trump’s claims. However, the university’s chancellor Nicholas Dirks had earlier refused to block the event, saying it would be unconstitutional.

“Mr Yiannopoulos is not the first of his ilk to speak at Berkeley and he will not be the last,” Dirks said in a statement.

“In our view, Mr. Yiannopoulos is a troll and provocateur who uses odious behaviour in part to ‘entertain,’ but also to deflect any serious engagement with ideas.”

Protesters sprayed 'Kill Trump' around the Berkeley campus
Protesters sprayed 'Kill Trump' around the Berkeley campus
Ben Margot/AP

Yiannopoulos’ “Dangerous Faggot” US college tour has repeatedly drawn controversy and debates over free speech.

Earlier this month, a man was shot in the abdomen at a protest outside of the far-right journalist’s event at the University of Washington, HuffPost reported.

In the UK, a talk he was due to give at his former secondary school was cancelled after the Department for Education’s Counter extremism unit raised safety concerns over the “threat of demonstrations”.

Close

What's Hot