Student groups blame UC Berkeley for Coulter cancellation

BERKELEY, Calif. (KGO) -- On Wednesday afternoon, Berkeley College Republicans gathered in front of Sproul Plaza, the birthplace of the free speech movement, to announce conservative commentator Ann Coulter would not be speaking on campus the next day.

"The University and UCPD are at fault," said Berkeley College Republicans President Troy Worden.

University officials said there is there is no secure venue for Coulter to speak on campus Thursday. She rejected the University's May 2nd alternative.

"In no one's memory here has so much time been spent with a single student group trying to make an event work," said UC Berkeley Spokesperson Dan Mogulof.

RELATED: Ann Coulter speech at UC Berkeley is off

Wednesday, Young America's Foundation, one of the organizations that invited Coulter, said it would not jeopardize the safety of its staff or students.

Coulter tweeted, "I'm so sorry Berkeley canceled my speech. I'm so sorry YAF acquiesced in the cancelation. And I'm so sorry for free speech crushed by thugs."

"She has a right to her opinions but it is UC Berkeley that canceled this speech," said Attorney Harmeet Dhillon.

Dhillon is representing Berkeley College Republicans and Young America's Foundation in a lawsuit against UC Berkeley officials and campus police officials.

RELATED: Pepper-sprayed woman says she was hit with flag poles at Cal protest

"The lawsuit is not about Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter was simply the catalyst and the straw that broke the camel's back on free speech here at UC Berkeley," said Dhillon.

PHOTOS: Protests erupt at UC Berkeley's Milo Yiannopoulos event

The Founder and Co-President of a third non-partisan group that invited Coulter says things went sour between his group "BridgeUSA" and Berkeley College Republicans. "BridgeUSA" is not a plaintiff in the lawsuit.

"There was immediately a divide between us and the conservative groups organizing this. While we wanted the facilitation of dialogue they wanted provocation," said "BridgeUSA" President Pranav Jandhyalo.

"I don't believe freedom of speech is a partisan issue," said Naweed Tahmas with Berkeley College Republicans.

Still, both "BridgeUSA" and Berkeley College Republicans say they welcome Coulter's visit in the future.

"If Ann Coulter is willing to come to UC Berkeley the invitation is open," said Worden.

"All eyes are on us right now and if she comes back all eyes are going to be on us again," said Jandhyalo.

Here's a look at Ann Coulter's reaction tweets from today:

Here's a look at the Young America's Foundation reaction tweets from today: