Bruin Republicans will not host controversial conservative speaker Milo Yiannopoulos in February, announcing Monday night that Yiannopoulos cancelled because the group could not accommodate his requirements for the event.
The group added they thought UCLA students would protest his speaking engagement and could threaten their members’ safety. Students created a Facebook group to protest the event, which amassed nearly 1,500 responses of either “Interested” or “Going.”
The Bruin Republicans letter said the group felt the event would not ultimately help achieve their goal of educating UCLA students about conservative values. It added that protests against Yiannopoulos at other college campuses have become violent. The Breitbart editor appeared at UCLA amid protests in late May 2016 for an event titled “Feminism is Cancer.”
“We as a club support free speech no matter the viewpoint, yet everyone’s safety is of our utmost concern,” the letter said.
Bruin Republicans did not disclose Yiannopoulos’ requirements to participate in the event.
