UC Berkeley shuts down .@AnnCoulter’s planned speech. Ann: I AM giving the speech. What will they do? Arrest me? pic.twitter.com/Pd6AM5J99X
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) April 20, 2017
Right-wing cheerleader Ann Coulter popped over to visit Tucker Carlson last night (before he takes over Bill O’Reilly’s spot on Monday) to discuss her upcoming speech at the University of California at Berkeley. Well, make that her cancelled speech at Berkeley, which she still claimed is happening despite university officials’ safety concerns. Coulter threw down the gauntlet while insisting that she’ll follow through with this event: “What are they going to do? Arrest me?”
Carlson, for his part, actually broke form from his famously frozen-face routine. He even cracked a smile here, so presumably, he would like to see Coulter get her free speech on at Berkeley.
However, the safety concerns are not unfounded — notorious “provocateur” Milo Yiannopoulos’ recent planned university appearance was axed after violent protests. Berkeley has also been the site of repeated protest-related scuffles, including last weekend’s brutal clashes between pro-Trump and anti-Trump groups. This doesn’t concern Coulter, who bragged that she “called their bluff” while agreeing to what she considers to be ridiculous rules (like speaking in the daytime) in order to book her event with a conservative student group.
Will Coulter make good on her vow? Well, she loves attention, and the Berkeley protests have gained national coverage, so that’s likely incentive enough for her to show up. She might even get a Trump tweet of support out of the whole deal, like he did for Milo.
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