Washington, Feb 3: The University of California, Berkeley has cancelled a speech by right wing internet troll Milo Yiannopoulos after thousands of students gathered in protest and a group of black-clad anti-fascist activists let off fireworks at the speech venue.

 
The Martin Luther King Jr student union was heavily fortified behind several layers of police barricades when protesters began gathering on Wednesday, three hours before the event was scheduled to start, The Guardian reported on Thursday.
 
The gathering though boisterous to begin with was largely peaceful. It was only later that several protesters wearing black face masks and carrying glittering flags arrived.The group quickly attacked the police barricades and started lighting up firecrackers at the speech venue.
 
A police officer eventually announced that the event was cancelled. Some cheered when police announced the cancellation, but others continued to jeer and call for the police to send Milo out to face the crowd. "Milo isn't here," one police officer shouted amid the din. "Milo isn't here."
 
Later, Yiannopoulos posted a statement on Facebook claiming that "the Left is absolutely terrified of free speech and will do literally anything to shut it down". After the event was cancelled and a flag poll burned down the crowd became jublient and blaring music filled the campus area. 
 
At one point riot police on the student union's second floor appeared to fire non-lethal weapons at the crowd, but it was unclear what kind. "We won't put up with the violent rhetoric of Milo, Trump or the fascistic alt-right," said a Berkeley history student who declined to give his name. The student, who was dressed in black and wore a face mask, carried a banner that read "Queers bash back". He said he identified with the "antifa" (anti-fascist) movement.