US President Donald Trump has threaten to yank federal funding of the University of California in Berkeley after a violent protest at the university canceled a speech of Breitbart News’ editor Milo Yiannopoulos at the student union.
Police officers prepare to deploy a skirmish line after a student protest turned violent at UC Berkeley during a demonstration over right-wing speaker Milo Yiannopoulos, who was forced to cancel his talk, in Berkeley, California, U.S., February 1, 2017 (Photo: Reuters / Stephen Lam)
On Thursday, US President Donald Trump lashed out at the University of California in Berkeley, writing on his Twitter that federal funding of the university, which “does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view,” may be yanked. The statement was made after hundreds of protesters smashed windows, set fires and clashed with police at the UC Berkley on Wednesday night in order not to allow Breitbart News’ editor Milo Yiannopoulos to give a speech at the student union.
If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view – NO FEDERAL FUNDS?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017
According to footage from news outlets, metal barricades and rocks were tossed through windows of the liberal-leaning institution by protesters, as well as a light generator was set on fire near the entrance.
Just toppled a light pole. Craziest protest I’ve seen in Berkeley by far. Crowd fast turning violent. pic.twitter.com/5ujFLOtA4u
— Michael Bodley (@michael_bodley) February 2, 2017
As the SFGate news website reported, police ordered protesters to disperse, however, they did not obey and started to toss fireworks and bricks at policemen, who wore riot gear. Police decided to use rubber pellets against the crowd.
“We shut down the event. It was great. Mission accomplished,” one of the protesters told CNN.
Later, protesters marched along streets near the campus, where they clashed with police, smashing storefront windows and cars’ windshields.
According to a statement of the university, about 1,500 people took part in the protest, some 150 of them were “masked agitators,” who were responsible for the violence during the event, which should have been peaceful. The university also noted that it “is proud of its history and legacy as home of the Free Speech Movement” in the 1960s.
As Trump’s chief strategist, Steve Bannon, who earlier headed Breitbart News, noted, many of the protesters voiced opposition to the Republican president. One of them held a sign that said “No Safe Space for Racists.”
Last year, Twitter account of Yiannopoulos was suspended, as he was accused of participating in the online harassment of an African-American actress. The Breitbart News editor criticized ‘the Left’, saying that it was “absolutely terrified of free speech and will do literally anything to shut it down.”
According to Yiannopoulos, police evacuated him after protesters began throwing rocks and other objects at the building.
“Obviously it’s a liberal campus so they hate any libertarians or conservatives who dare to express an opinion on their campuses,” Yiannopoulos told the Fox News TV-channel. “They particularly don’t like me.”
A vandalized Bank of America office is seen after a student protest turned violent at UC Berkeley during a demonstration over right-wing speaker Milo Yiannopoulos, who was forced to cancel his talk, in Berkeley, California, U.S., February 1, 2017 (Photo: Reuters / Stephen Lam)
A worker surveys the damage to a vandalized Starbucks after a student protest turned violent at UC Berkeley during a demonstration over right-wing speaker Milo Yiannopoulos, who was forced to cancel his talk, in Berkeley, California, U.S., February 1, 2017 (Photo: Reuters / Stephen Lam)
A burned out portable light system is seen at UC Berkeley after a student protest turned violent during a demonstration over right-wing speaker Milo Yiannopoulos, who was forced to cancel his talk in Berkeley, California, U.S., February 1, 2017 (Photo: Reuters / Stephen Lam)
“the liberal-leaning institution” Leaning? How about 100% batshit gonzo crazy leftist institution.
He certainly does not back down. At last a leader that hits the socialists where it is going to hurt. Next close the place down? Beginning to become a trump fan.
Love trumps hate?
Trump trumps leftists and cucks.
Social Justice Warriors are as fanatic as Mao’s Red Guards were during the Cultural Revolution, and completely willing to shame, destroy, silence, incite and kill in the pursuit of their perceived Utopia. Just like their Chinese counterparts. But no, let’s worry about a few people with perceived far right sympathies. Because far right sounds scary. Whereas Social Justice, that sounds lofty and good, right?
At least in China the mad hatters were stopped by the PLA. Who’s going to stop our crazy loony left?
Good, I wish the rioters would have gotten their hands on that rabid , rancid Jew Milo. He’s just another provocateur Jew who somehow(gee I wonder) has a shifty little following among Christian Zionists and Islamophobes. I wish they would have tore him limb to limb. POS Milo.
Noone asked you Hisham. Last thing the US needs is political and cultural advice from arabs.
Shut up , no one is talking to you. I happen to be a U.S. born U.S citizen, you sloppy Zionist handjob. Better Arab than a Jew.
Dude, a mexican woman can crawl inside US soil, have a kid right there in the desert and it’s a US citizen automatically, don’t be too proud of yourself. Plenty of anchor babies have the wrong idea about stuff :D
Anyway, how did you come to the conclusion that I am a jew?
Every U.S. naturalized citizen is born in the U.S., regardless of background or ethnicity. Sorry. How old are you anyways?
Who said anything about you being a Jew, no, your a Zionist by way of thinking. Not all Zionists are Jews. Or your simply a boot-licker for Jews. Same thing. I’m proud of being American. You cant take that away, sorry again. Now go back to surfing your porn.
Here is free speech from You too. You remind me about an old joke:
Is my name Norman? – I thought it was stop it.
Syria has 57 states. Thats more than USA.
For the moment the french protectorat of Syria has about 57 tribeflags itself. You dont have a leader and no oppostion – almost only corrupt mafiosas and Khalifist ruled by 100 years old Sharia and a 1400 years old book.
And alle muslims there are innocent and only westerns and Israel is to blame.
Jews invented Islam to keep You down and Muhammed manipulated Your way of banking, so You are not a part of the world economy.
My best advise for area as Syria as well as Turkey and Iraq is to give women and children all the weapons and let them shoot anyone they wish.
Terrible, terrible English. Instead of spending time here commenting, take some English lessons. I laugh at your silly incoherent comments. Now, get your dictionary out, imbecile.
Upps,try again. This is not Your autistic site.Commas there too.
Try Gugle again…
Trumps POS man Bannon said in his awful book, that when he visited occupied Palestine(Israhell) he found his calling in life. Just another Zionist blowjob, If I had his address, I would send him a pillow to kneel on while he serviced his Israhelli cousins.
yesterdays leftist jews are todays right wingers. wtf, chameleons with no sense of loyalties. constantly trying to brew discontent worldwide. the world is watch u.
You again. There has always been both right and left wings groups among jews, so Your proposal with lshifting oyalty is far out.
Its well descriebed since some Jew reinvented the promised land, which went to be Israel.
Breitbart News does not qualify as journalism. Propaganda wiith a liberal sprinkling of fantasy. Schools are state funded. What kind of funds does Trump intend to withhold? Unwelcome weapons research? Oil pipeline 101?
Careful, your ignorance is showing. They receive hundreds of millions in federal funds, and that’s not counting the federal subsidies to student loans.
A direct quote from Breitbart news. Here’s a breakdown of the history departments funding…not a federal dollar in sight. “In the United States, most public universities are state universities founded and operated by state government entities” Next time you want to understand an issue, try Wiki instead. Student financial aide isn’t the same as school funding.
Try looking at Berkeley’s website directly.
$350 million in federal research funding alone: http://vcresearch.berkeley.edu/berkeley-research-numbers
The University is a culture club for the elite. While there are a few free thinkers I doubt the revolution will start from the ivory tower. It s more a clash of style i.e. new $ vs. old $. People who make $ from solar energy vs people who make $ from oil energy. You have to laugh at American politics where the people who took (very basic) welfare away from black single mother’s (The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act), i.e., the Clinton’s are considered politically left and where a Russian client President is considered right. Think of all the people America has murdered – from drone strikes in Yemen to an undeclared war in Panama – President Trump may be the just desert.