Ann Coulter event back on at UC Berkeley after it was canceled

BERKELEY, Calif. (KGO) -- UC Berkeley announced Thursday conservative Ann Coulter's lecture is back on and will be held at the university after it had been canceled due to security concerns.

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Chancellor Nicholas B. Dirks instead proposed an alternate May 2 date for the conservative author, which Coulter refused.

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Dirks defended the university's focus on free speech after canceling, and then rescheduling Coulter's speaking engagement over specific security threats aimed at next Thursday's event.

UC Berkeley announced Thursday conservative Ann Coulter's lecture is back on and will be held at the university after it had been canceled due to security concerns.

"This university and I have an unwavering commitment to first amendment of the constitution," Dirks said. "Ms. Coulter's announcement that she intends to come to this campus on April 27th without regard for the fact that we do not have a protectable venue available on that date is of grave concern," Dirks said.

U.C. police say they are working to improve their response to controversial events, after a Milo Yiannopoulos appearance was canceled in February amid a violent protest on campus.

RELATED: FBI investigating violent U.C. Berkeley protest

University spokesman Dan Mogulof said campus police learned that some of the groups that appeared to be responsible for the violence last weekend and at the Yiannopoulos event "planned to target the appearance of Ann Coulter on campus."

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