Emails called on the administration to take action against the conservative speaker
Professors and students alike were pushing the panic button before Milo Yiannopoulos’s appearance at UC Berkeley last February, an appearance that ended up being cancelled after violent protests broke out on the school’s campus.
Now, emails obtained by the The Daily Californian reveal that David Landreth, an English professor, emailed the dean of students and an unnamed member of the College Republicans trying to convince them to cancel the controversial speaker’s appearance.
“Although I continue to have doubts about whether Mr. Yiannopoulos can be relied upon to refrain from unlawful harassment during his performance, I must put that concern to one side when facing the prospect of a riot on Sproul Plaza between outside groups using our campus as a battlefield,” Landreth wrote in one of his emails, according to The Daily Californian.
Landreth was one of the 12 authors of an open letter calling for Yiannopoulos’ disinvitation prior to the event.
In another email revealed by the Californian, current Queer Alliance Resource Center External Director Regan Putnam wrote, “Core concerns were outing of trans and undocumented students, incendiary politics leading to physical and verbal violence, and creating a culture in which students cannot voice their concerns about safety.”
Other proposals short of cancellation were mentioned in emails, The Californian reports:
Another concerned community member present at the meeting with Dirks, whose name was redacted, emailed Greenwell on Jan. 30. The community member echoed Landreth’s belief that allowing Yiannopoulos to come to campus was a justified decision but proposed ways to mitigate the expected conflict.
The individual proposed shining inclusive imagery, such as the Transgender Pride Flag colors, on Doe Memorial Library or the Campanile, or hanging a banner or flag supporting the LGBTQ+ community. Another student sent an email after meeting with Dirks to again plead for the event’s cancellation.
Responses from the administration stressed that the decision to cancel the event would be the responsibility of the College Republicans, and a campus-wide email reminded students of available resources and free speech and protesting safely.
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