Arrests made as hundreds protest Ann Coulter speech at UC Berkeley

Hundreds of protesters converged on UC Berkeley on Wednesday night as conservative author Ann Coulter delivered a speech on campus.

UC Berkeley police said on Twitter that “multiple masked protesters” were arrested at the event but did not provide details about why they were taken into custody.

Videos and photos show large groups of protesters outside the venue where Coulter was speaking, with some signs calling her a fascist and saying she should go home.

The Berkeley College Republicans invited Coulter for a talk entitled, “Adios, America!” Advertising said the writer would discuss the “current United States immigration system and the dangers of mass immigration.”

But protesters said she had no place at the university.

“The university is rolling [out] the red carpet for these fascist speakers to come and spew their hate,” demonstrator Alex Hernandez told NBC Bay Area.

Coulter had intended to speak on the campus in 2017, but her event was canceled due to security concerns.

Earlier that year, the College Republicans sought to host right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos, but the event was canceled when hundreds of demonstrators swarmed the venue — including some in masks who tore down barricades and smashed windows.

The incidents sparked debates about free speech.