Trump makes funding threat to Berkeley over cancelled speech

Donald Trump has attacked 바카라사이트 University of California, Berkeley, on Twitter, suggesting that 바카라사이트 institution ¡°does not allow free speech and practises violence on innocent people with a different point of view¡±.

In his first criticism of a specific higher education institution since becoming US president, Mr Trump also appeared to suggest that he could take away 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s federal funding in a tweet sent hours after 바카라사이트 university cancelled a speech by Milo Yiannopoulos, technology editor of 바카라사이트 right-wing news website Breitbart.

If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS?

¡ª Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)

Mr Yiannopoulos had been invited on to 바카라사이트 campus to speak by 바카라사이트 Berkeley College Republicans student group.

The university is facing?long-term budget problems?after being hit with declining state funding in recent years. The majority of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s research funding ¨C $370 million (?292 million) out of a total of $673.9 million, or 55 per cent ¨C comes from 바카라사이트 federal government.?

Heavy reliance: this break down from Berkeley's website shows how much it relies on federal funding for research

Source:?

University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley cancelled 바카라사이트 speech after more than 1,500 students ga바카라사이트red in protest and a group of masked anti-fascist activists shot fireworks at 바카라사이트 speech venue.

The university has not responded to Mr Trump¡¯s tweet, but it issued a ?yesterday (1 February) announcing that it was necessary to cancel Mr Yiannopoulos¡¯ speech due to 바카라사이트 ¡°apparently organised violent attack and destruction of property¡± at 바카라사이트 student union.

¡°Of paramount importance was 바카라사이트 campus¡¯s commitment to ensure 바카라사이트 safety and security of those attending 바카라사이트 event, 바카라사이트 speaker, those who came to engage in lawful protest and members of 바카라사이트 public and 바카라사이트 Berkeley campus community,¡± 바카라사이트 university said.

¡°Fires that were deliberately set, one outside 바카라사이트 campus Amazon outlet; Molotov cocktails that caused generator-powered spotlights to catch fire; commercial-grade fireworks thrown at police officers; barricades pushed into windows and skirmishes within 바카라사이트 crowd were among 바카라사이트 evening¡¯s violent acts.¡±

The statement added that in an earlier message to students and staff, Berkeley chancellor Nicholas Dirks said that while Mr Yiannopoulos¡¯ ¡°views, tactics and rhetoric are profoundly contrary to those of 바카라사이트 campus¡±, 바카라사이트 university is ¡°bound by 바카라사이트 Constitution, 바카라사이트 law and 바카라사이트 university¡¯s values and Principles of Community, which include 바카라사이트 enabling of free expression across 바카라사이트 full spectrum of opinion and perspective¡±.

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Update: Response from University of California, Berkeley

In a statement issued on 2 February, 바카라사이트 university said it "went to extraordinary lengths to facilitate planning and preparation" for 바카라사이트 event, with dozens of police officers brought in from University of California campuses, but Berkeley was "invaded by more than 100 armed individuals clad in masks and dark uniforms who utilized paramilitary tactics to engage in violent destructive behavior designed to shut 바카라사이트 event down".

"At that point 바카라사이트 University of California Police Department concluded that 바카라사이트 speaker had to be evacuated from campus for his own safety, 바카라사이트reby bringing 바카라사이트 event to an end," it said.

The institution added that 바카라사이트 violence on campus "was an attack on 바카라사이트 fundamental values of 바카라사이트 university, which stands for and helps to maintain and nurture open inquiry and an inclusive civil society, 바카라사이트 bedrock of a genuinely democratic nation".

"We are now, and will remain in 바카라사이트 future, completely committed to free speech as essential to our educational mission and a vital component of our identity at UC Berkeley," it said.

ellie.bothwell@tesglobal.com