What does Milo Yiannopoulos request when he comes to UC Berkeley for a speaking event? A 24-bottle case of spring water.
Through a public records access request, The Daily Californian acquired a series of emails and documents between event organizers and campus officials related to Yiannopoulos’ visit in February 2017. Included in the released records are documents listing requests the conservative speaker made, such as a 24-hour campus security detail with three to five officers to “Assist with Milo’s Personal Security Detail,” “safe and secure” parking for a 50-foot tour bus and two Chevrolet Suburbans, and an optional request for two hotel rooms.
Titled “MILO: Glittering Steel, LLC,” the document included the performance agreement and “hospitality and technical” agreement for Yiannopoulos’ visit. Glittering Steel, a movie production company, was co-founded by former White House adviser Steve Bannon.
Even though it is known that the Berkeley College Republicans, or BCR, intended to host Yiannopoulos, the event organizer signature remained redacted.
“It is mutually agreed between the parties as follows: Event Organizer hereby engages Milo Yiannopoulos and Milo Yiannopoulos agrees to perform the engagement subject to all of the terms set forth herein and those contained the Rider page attached hereto which are hereby fully incorporated and made part of this agreement,” read the agreement.
The document, dated Jan. 1, 2017, indicated that there was no actual speaking fee for Yiannopoulos’ appearance.
Yiannopoulos’ agreement also stated that the venue must be available to the crew at least two hours before doors open for setup, as well as one hour after the event for breakdown. It listed that the organizer must provide a 6-foot table, two small chairs, a wireless microphone for Yiannopoulos, a podium microphone for hosts and a wireless or hand-held microphone for an interviewer, among other requests.
Though the event was canceled amid fiery protests on Sproul Plaza the night of Feb. 1, the campus still racked up a $6,372 security fee for the event.
UCPD said after the cancellation that it would not charge BCR the security fee for the event.
Yiannopoulos later agreed to pay the costs associated with the canceled “Free Speech Week” in September, estimated at approximately $250,000 for his company, MILO, Inc. Fees included staffing the event and accommodations for speakers.
