Berkeley keeps the peace during conservative speech

Conservative pundit Ben Shapiro gave a speech at the University of California, Berkeley, Thursday night as hundreds of police officers deployed to keep the peace. About 1,000 people protested the event loudly but without violence, University Police Chief Margo Bennett said. City police arrested nine people for having banned items, but no injuries or property damage were reported. Earlier this year, violent demonstrations against right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos shut down his speech on campus, while threatened protests against Shapiro and fellow conservative Ann Coulter ended those events before they began. In August, Chancellor Carol Christ invited the three conservatives back to Berkeley for another try. Shapiro’s speech Thursday was seen as a test run for Yiannopoulos’ scheduled appearance later this month during “Free Speech Week,” which also includes planned appearances by Coulter and former White House chief stratesgist Steve Bannon. University officials estimated the cost of all the security for the Shapiro event at as much as $600,000.