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UC Berkeley cancels Breitbart speaker as students protest UC Berkeley cancels Breitbart speaker as students protest
(about 4 hours later)
The University of California at Berkeley has cancelled a talk by an editor at the right-wing Breitbart News website, Milo Yiannopoulos, after student protests against his visit. The University of California at Berkeley was forced to cancel a talk by an editor at the right-wing Breitbart News website, Milo Yiannopoulos, after student protests turned violent.
Mr Yiannopoulos is an outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump.Mr Yiannopoulos is an outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump.
Hundreds of students rallied and were faced by riot police. At least one fire was started and police fired tear gas, as the campus was put on lockdown. Hundreds of students rallied and were faced by riot police. At least one fire was started and police used tear gas as the campus was put on lockdown.
There are no reports of arrests or serious injuries.There are no reports of arrests or serious injuries.
Mr Yiannopoulos's comments have been criticised as racist and misogynist.Mr Yiannopoulos's comments have been criticised as racist and misogynist.
Last year he was banned from Twitter after leading a campaign against Ghostbusters actress Leslie Jones.Last year he was banned from Twitter after leading a campaign against Ghostbusters actress Leslie Jones.
Berkeley College Republicans sponsored Mr Yiannopoulos's visit.Berkeley College Republicans sponsored Mr Yiannopoulos's visit.
Their spokesman Pieter Sittler said they didn't agree with everything he said, but "he gives a voice to repressed conservative thought on American college campuses".Their spokesman Pieter Sittler said they didn't agree with everything he said, but "he gives a voice to repressed conservative thought on American college campuses".
UC Berkeley stressed that it had not invited Mr Yiannopoulos, but had rejected earlier calls to cancel the event.UC Berkeley stressed that it had not invited Mr Yiannopoulos, but had rejected earlier calls to cancel the event.
Students protested peacefully earlier in the day, but later some broke windows at the hall where the talk was due to be held, threw smoke bombs and started a fire on Sproul Plaza. Protests began peacefully earlier on Wednesday. But demonstrators later broke windows at the hall where the talk was due to be held, threw smoke bombs and started a fire on Sproul Plaza.
Last November, Mr Yiannopoulos's old school cancelled a talk he had been due to give. Protest organiser Yvette Felarca defended the demonstration, describing the actions of students as "self defence".
"We have the right to defend ourselves," she said, adding: "This shutting down Milo Yiannopoulos, and doing whatever's necessary to do that, is our right to self-defence."
But some of the students at the university said the behaviour of a number of demonstrators was "absolutely horrific".
"It's horrible. It's disgusting, what's going on right now. It's one thing to protest someone's right to come here and speak, but it's another thing to create this much amount of destruction and violence," said student Pranav Jandhyala.
Another, Colin Duke, said: "I just came to see if I could get into the Milo event. I support free speech. It's Sproul Plaza, so the birthplace of campus free speech. And it just got shut down by a bunch of people in black cloth."
University spokesman Dan Moulof said the protest had been hijacked by a small number of masked agitators.
"What's really unfortunate tonight is that the violent actions of a very few interfered with the desires of the many to participate in legal and lawful protest," Mr Moulof said.
Mr Yiannopoulos, 33, is a senior editor of Breitbart News, the most-read conservative news website in the US.
Breitbart, which has been accused by some of being a hate site, makes no secret of its close links to Mr Trump.
In November, in an interview with the BBC's James Cook, Mr Yiannopoulos said that despite attempts to silence him, the "alt-right is unstoppable".
"I want to desensitise people to this offense-taking, grievance and victimhood culture, and if the way to respond to outrage culture is to be outrageous - which seems to be working... I'm winning on college campuses to be sure - then so much the better," he said.
However the latest cancellation of an appearance by Mr Yiannopoulos at the University of California is not the first. Last November, his old school cancelled a talk he had been due to give.
The Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys in Canterbury, England, said they took the decision partly because of the threat of demonstrations.The Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys in Canterbury, England, said they took the decision partly because of the threat of demonstrations.