Media advisory: Coverage information for the Feb. 1 Milo Yiannopoulos event on the UC Berkeley Campus

What: On Wednesday, Feb. 1, at 8 p.m., the Berkeley College Republicans (BCR) will be presenting a performance by Milo Yiannopoulos in the Pauley Ballroom, located on the second floor of the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Union building.

As this is not a university-sponsored or –hosted event, the BCR, as a separate and independent legal entity from the university, has sole responsibility for media access to the venue. Our understanding is that all of the seats the BCR reserved for reporters have been allocated. If you need additional information please contact the BCR media representative:

Pieter Sittler
[email protected]
949) 742-2467

We also suggest that all media planning to cover the event inform Roqua Montez, the campus’s executive director of communications and media relations: [email protected] This will ensure that interested journalists and outlets will receive regular updates from the campus regarding newsworthy developments before, during and after the event

The venue holds approximately 500 people and tickets have been sold out for weeks. The campus currently anticipates that a significant number of people will gather outside the venue in order to protest the performer’s presence. The campus remains responsible for security and safety in and around the venue, and the University of California Police Department (UCPD) has been provided with the resources it needs based on its professional assessment and evaluation.

Background: Last week, UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks sent this message to the university’s students, staff and faculty: http://news.berkeley.edu/2017/01/26/chancellor-statement-on-yiannopoulos/

Parking: A limited number of parking slots are being reserved, on a first-come/first-serve basis, for journalists covering this event. Five spaces are being held for TV broadcast vans in the Sproul Lot, located on the north side of Sproul Hall. An additional five spaces will be available on the north side of Frank Schlessinger Way, near the intersection of Oxford Street and Allston Way. Vehicles parked illegally along Bancroft Avenue will be subject to ticketing and towing.

Contacts and Access to Updated Information:

Pre-event: For those reporters seeking information about the university’s position and preparations prior to the event, campus spokesperson Dan Mogulof will be available until 7 p.m. on Wednesday evening. He can be contacted at [email protected].

During the event: As noted above, throughout the evening the campus will be providing regular updates, as warranted, regarding the event and any protests that may materialize. In order to receive the updates, please provide contact email address(es) to Roqua Montez, as per the instructions above: [email protected].

Post-event: Representatives of the campus administration and the UCPD will be available to answer questions from the media 30 minutes after the event concludes in the Alumni House, located directly east of Haas Pavilion: http://www.berkeley.edu/map?alumniHouse