Ann Coulter is canceling her scheduled speech at the University of California, Berkeley, after losing the support of conservative groups that sponsored her appearance.
Coulter told the New York Times on Wednesday: “It’s a sad day for free speech.”
Coulter initially insisted she would go to Berkley even after the university canceled her planned speech citing threats of violence. But Coulter now says she does not see how she could go forward.
The university said Coulter would be allowed to speak at a later date, when the campus is less crowded.
The decision to drop her legal efforts to force Berkley to let her speak came after the conservative group that was backing Coulter, Young America’s Foundation, announced late Tuesday that it could no longer take part, citing safety concerns for its staff and students.
Coulter said the lack of support from the group left her with little choice but to back out.
“Everyone who should believe in free speech fought against it or ran away,” she said.
The group that invited Coulter to speak, the Berkeley College Republicans, also dropped its support saying the atmosphere had become too hostile.
Berkeley, administrators offered a day next week when students are no longer in class but Coulter declined.
In February, a campus event featuring alt-right personality Milo Yiannopoulos was canceled after demonstrators shamed the area in a violent protest which caused $100,000 in damages.