Violence erupted Wednesday [Feb. 1] at UC-Berkeley after roughly 1500 protesters dressed in all black arrived on campus to protest a scheduled speech by right-wing commentator and Breitbart editor Milo Tiannopoulos.
Protesters threw rocks and Molotov cocktails, igniting fires and striking police with objects. University officials decided to cancel the scheduled speech amid the destruction and chaos on the campus, blaming the violence on "150 masked agitators" who "disturbed an otherwise peaceful protest". UC Berkeley released a statement regarding the violence:
"While Yiannopoulos' views, tactics, and rhetoric are profoundly contrary to our own, we are bound by the Constitution, the law, our values and the campus's Principles of Community to enable free expression across the full spectrum of opinion and perspective."
Is it important to allow all free speech? Or is there an exception to the First Amendment when a party is practicing hate? Let us know in the comments.
