UC Berkeley Was Filled With People Protesting

An event featuring Breitbart News' Milo Yiannopoulos has been cancelled at UC Berkeley following reports of protesters storming the event with smoke bombs and flares, The Associated Press reported Wednesday. Hundreds of peaceful protesters had gathered outside of the student union building hours beforehand, carrying signs that read "Hate Speech Is Not Free Speech."

According to The Associated Press, the smaller group responsible for shutting the event down descended upon the student union building dressed in black, with many wearing hoodies and masks. The group threw smoke bombs, flares, shattered some of the building's windows, and built a massive bonfire outside. Roughly fifteen minutes after the second set of protesters arrived, UC Berkeley officially cancelled Yiannopoulos' event, instructing students to remain indoors and far away from the area.

UC Berkeley police issued a dispersal order for students, saying that additional resources were being brought in later Wednesday evening due to the size and intensity of the demonstration.

Many of Yiannopoulos' talks have been cancelled due to protests or the threat of massive student action. As recently as mid-January, a talk scheduled at UC Davis was cancelled after a group of protests left university officials saying it was "no longer feasible to continue with the event safely."

DePaul University President Dennis Holtschneider resigned after the school sponsored an event with the editor. According to many students of color, the school had undergone a particular period of unrest at the campus, with many accusing the university of failing to meet their needs throughout the year. These complaints came to a head after the university went through with an event with Yiannopoulos, despite protests. Ultimately, Holtschneider did not specifically address the right-wing provocateur in his resignation, nor confirm whether the two events were related.

The ring-wing Breitbart News editor, known for his penchant for online trolling and offensive articles, was (thankfully) on the last stop of his college campus tour, aimed at stamping out what Yiannopoulos describes as a culture of political correctness among young people. On tour, Yiannopoulos discussed the supposed dangers of liberalism, feminism, and of course, reportedly resurrected his infamous diatribe on Ghostbusters actress Leslie Jones.

Nevertheless, Yiannopoulos will likely have plenty to say about the events at UC Berkeley on the pages of Breitbart News soon. He will also be releasing his autobiographical book Dangerous this March, likely also filled with his usual rants against just about anyone and everyone.