Ben Shapiro tweets dismissive messages to protesters ahead of Berkeley speech

Conservative commentator and radio show host Ben Shapiro brushed off messages written with chalk greeting him at the University of California, Berkeley, shortly before his appearance on campus on Thursday. 

Words, such as “resistance” and “hate,” were scrawled on campus grounds ahead of Shapiro’s speech, which has garnered controversy and led to fears that violent protests could break out. 

VIDEO: lot of anger & tension on the @UCBerkeley campus today, ahead of tonight’s speech by @benshapiro. Chalk graffiti will “welcome” him pic.twitter.com/rG4wnuuyjw

— Doug Sovern (@SovernNation) September 14, 2017

Shapiro promptly responded to videos of the chalk messages in a series of tweets, including a gif of basketball player LeBron James throwing talcum powder into the air before a game. 

Oh no not chalk what will I do https://t.co/QVuyLTdX04

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) September 14, 2017

Begun the chalk wars have https://t.co/EIiG86z48l

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) September 14, 2017

Hey, Berkeley, here is how scared I am of your chalk pic.twitter.com/hiJGqXJvvy

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) September 14, 2017

Berkeley agreed in July to allow Shapiro to address students after he was invited back by the Berkeley College Republicans and the Young America’s Foundation.

Shapiro first spoke to Berkeley students in April 2016. 

Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent on security resources ahead of the event, according to The Los Angeles Times, and large portions of the campus will be closed off. 

{mosads}

Berkeley’s City Council even voted to lift a 20-year ban on police using pepper spray ahead of the speech.

The university will also be providing counseling services to staff and students after the event, which Shapiro also appeared to brush off.  

“If you feel you need counseling because of my speech, you probably did need some sort of psychiatric help before that,” he told HLN earlier this week. 

Berkeley has been plagued by protests this year, most recently in August when supporters of President Trump and counterprotesters clashed on the campus, resulting in several arrests. 

Violent protests also erupted last February when right-wing firebrand Milo Yiannopoulos spoke, causing $100,000 worth of damage to the school, according to CNN.