The University of Washington expects Friday to host controversial Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos. At some other universities, his speeches have been canceled or postponed.
Milo Yiannopoulos, the right-wing editor whose controversial tweets resulted in his being banned for life from using Twitter, is expected to speak Friday at the University of Washington.
His speech Thursday at Washington State University was canceled due to bad weather, according to the Daily Evergreen, WSU’s student newspaper.
His speech at the University of California, Davis, last Friday was canceled by its sponsors, the UC Davis College Republicans, when protesters blocked access to the hall. Yiannopoulos, an editor at Breitbart News, and former pharmaceutical executive Martin Shkreli were both scheduled to speak.
Yiannopoulos’ talk at WSU Pullman had been scheduled for 5 p.m. Thursday at Compton Union Building and was sold out. Icy roads on Wednesday caused WSU to cancel most campus activities in Pullman.
According to the Daily Evergreen, Yiannopoulos’ bus couldn’t make it over the mountains for his appearance. The bus had been in Portland, a WSU spokesman said.
Yiannopoulos’ speech at the UW, which is sold out, will take place in the largest lecture hall in Kane Hall, which holds about 700. The College Republicans raised money online to hire security and rent the hall.
Jessie Gamble, president of UW College Republicans, said the Kane Hall doors will open at 7 p.m. Friday, and Yiannopoulos’ speech will begin about 7:30 p.m.
On Thursday, Gamble said the UW appearance was going on as planned despite the WSU cancellation.
Yiannopoulos isn’t the only speaker in town Friday. As part of MLK Week, the UW is hosting a 7 p.m. speech by Kathleen Cleaver, a longtime civil-rights activist. Cleaver last spoke at the UW in 1968, during a teach-in at the Husky Union Building.
Also on Friday, the university’s Computer Science & Engineering department will hold a two-hour symposium to highlight the accomplishments of UW’s women scientists and engineers.