UC Berkeley chancellor capitulated to the Alt-Right

UC Berkeley's Chancellor Carol Christ capitulated to the Alt-Right today, closing off Sproul Plaza for a private event held by Milo Yiannopoulos. Police from multiple agencies were present to keep members of the public off Sproul Plaza, which was fully enclosed by barricades. Yiannopoulos has no affiliation to the University, and the University's policies do not allow non-affiliates to reserve Sproul Plaza for special private events. Milo's event was not sponsored by any student group, as the Berkeley Patriots had rescinded their sponsorship. Non-affiliate events held on campus typically only occur with student sponsorship.

At press conference yesterday (September 24), UC Berkeley spokesperson Dan Mogoluf explained that the UC considered the Alt-Right rally to be an event. Mogoluf said the University "abide[s] by the policies that govern events" and that the UC would "follow[s] standard rules" for events. However, two weeks ago, Mogouf told the press there was no event: "nothing has been scheduled". Last week, the Berkeley Patriot student group revoked sponsorship of the Alt-Right rally, definitively cancelling any plans for an event.

Also speaking at the press conference, UC Berkeley's Chief of Police Margo Bennett told reporters that one of UC Berkeley PD's command staff had coordinated with Yiannopoulos' private security detail. Bennett said that police planned Yiannopoulos' driving route to UC Berkeley. UC Berkeley's police told Yiannopoulos' security detail where to meet UCB PD for a police escort to Sproul through the security barriers.

Two days ago (September 23rd), Chief Bennett told reporters that "Sproul Plaza is open for anybody to walk onto and to talk". Yet today, Sproul Plaza was not open for anybody. The Plaza was reserved for Yiannopoulos, and other members of the Alt-Right like Mike Cernovich and Kyle Chapman, who received the same level of police escort past the security barriers.

The UC's administration and police facilitated a private event for the Alt-Right, blocking the general public from entering onto a historic campus plaza. After the Berkeley Patriot student group declared there was not going to be a rally, the UC administration went beyond standard rules and procedure for events, to ensure that an Alt-Right rally would take place. Police organized with Milo's private security and with Kyle Chapman's group of Alt-Knights/Proud Boys.

The UC capitulated to the Alt-Right. Yet, after doing everything but roll out a literal red carpet, the University was unable to appease them. Immediately after the rally, Yiannopoulos blamed UC police and administration for the small crowd. Yiannopoulos blamed them for the brief duration of the rally (the rally lasted less that half-an-hour). Alt-Right media claimed the UC administration tried to shut down the event as it was occurring.

The entire concept of the Alt-Right rally was a hoax designed by Yiannopoulos to discredit and demonize the UC. Chancellor Christ should have been aware of this fact, but the Chancellor gave Milo a platform to create more disinformation about the University and to rile more antagonism against the Berkeley community. The UC administration expended hundreds of thousands of dollars and closed down a major pedestrian thoroughfare. In an attempt to win some favor with the Alt-Right, the UC administration facilitated a chaotic situation which ended up backfiring on the UC.