UC Berkeley cancels Milo Yiannopoulos event after violent protests break out on campus

by Paulina Firozi - 02/01/17 9:50 PM ET

Fire and huge waive of smoke #MiloAtCal pic.twitter.com/zckGbe4zsG

— Charlotte Kosche (@charlottekosche) February 2, 2017

University of California, Berkeley is on a campus-wide lockdown after protests broke out against Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos, an “alt-right” leader who was scheduled to speak at the school.

Yiannopoulos’s event has been canceled, and university police urged students to shelter in place and stay away from the protest area.

.@UCBerkeley Milo event cancelled. Shelter in place if on campus. All campus buildings on lockdown. #miloatcal

— UC Police, Berkeley (@UCPD_Cal) February 2, 2017

At #miloatcal has been cancelled. Milo has left campus. @UCBerkeley @CalSurvivor

— UC Police, Berkeley (@UCPD_Cal) February 2, 2017

Videos from campus show fires breaking out, and students on the scene say firecrackers were thrown.

Yiannopoulos took to Facebook to post about the incident after he left the California campus.

“I have been evacuated from the UC Berkeley campus after violent left-wing protestors tore down barricades, lit fires, threw rocks and Roman candles at the windows and breached the ground floor of the building,” he wrote.

“I’ll let you know more when the facts become clear. One thing we do know for sure: the Left is absolutely terrified of free speech and will do literally anything to shut it down.”

Fire and huge waive of smoke #MiloAtCal pic.twitter.com/zckGbe4zsG
— Charlotte Kosche (@charlottekosche) February 2, 2017

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University officials had braced for protesters throughout the day, setting up metal barricades around the building where Yiannopoulos was set to speak.

But the hundreds of protestors reportedly began pulling down the barricades, breaking windows and setting off fireworks, according to SF Gate.

The Berkeley Police Department reportedly clashed with protestors, who threw bricks and fireworks at officers. Officers then fired rubber pellets and threatened to use tear gas on demonstrators.

UC Berkeley police threatening to use tear gas and batons in 10 minutes if hundreds of protesters don’t disperse.

— Shane Bauer (@shane_bauer) February 2, 2017

Students and protestors reportedly celebrated after news that the university had canceled the event.

Last month, a man was shot at a protest against Yiannopoulos at the University of Washington.

Updated at 10:23 p.m.

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