Ann Coulter says she's still waiting on Berkeley to provide a venue for talk
BERKELEY, Calif. (KGO) -- Two groups that invited conservative commentator Ann Coulter to UC Berkeley are making good on their promise to sue the university for not providing a place for her to speak as scheduled this Thursday.
The Young America's Foundation said in a statement Tuesday that they will "not move forward with an event at Berkeley on April 27 due to the lack of assurances for protections from foreseeable violence from unrestrained leftist agitators."
They went on to say "Berkeley should be ashamed for creating this hostile atmosphere."
The foundation says they are moving forward with their lawsuit against UC Berkeley, and "looks forward to the day when First Amendment freedoms are enjoyed by conservative students."
Coulter tweeted Tuesday:
Attorney Harmeet Dhillon who is representing Berkeley College Republicans and Young America's Foundation says she's receiving support from both sides of the political aisle as she takes on UC Berkeley officials and campus police filing a lawsuit accusing both of constitutional rights violations in canceling Ann Coulter's Thursday appearance.
COURT DOCUMENT: A look at the UC Berkeley, Ann Coulter lawsuit
"I never thought I'd be on the same side of an issue as Willie Brown, Bernie Sanders, Bill Mahr," said Dhillon.
The lawsuit highlights what Dhillon calls a secretive high profile speakers policy that creates limiting conditions for certain speakers around where and when they can speak on campus.
"It's not in writing it's not been publicized but it has been used to shut down two speakers the Berkeley College Republicans have brought to Cal," said Dhillon.
The University responded to the lawsuit writing, "UC Berkeley has been working to accommodate a mutually agreeable time for Ms. Coulter's visit - which has not yet been scheduled - and remains committed to doing so. The campus seeks to ensure that all members of the Berkeley and larger community - including Ms. Coulter herself - remain safe during such an event."
Dhillon questions the role of UCPD and says they stood down during other recent violent protests on campus.
RELATED: UC Berkeley responds to Coulter speech lawsuit ultimatum
"Unless somebody is about to be killed that is their standard for intervening, so if somebody is merely being beaten up, rocks are merely being thrown, people are merely being punched in the head that's not sufficient for university police to intervene," said Dhillon.
By phone today UCPD's Spokesperson's says they reviewed response to the Milo Yiannopoulos incident and will take a different approach this Thursday. The spokesperson would not say what that different approach will entail but did say there will be a high visibility law enforcement presence.
Coulter tweeted Monday that the lawsuit "demands appropriate & safe venue for my speech THIS THURSDAY."
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