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Conservatives and alt-rightsupporters gatheredat UC Berkeley to protest the cancellation of Ann Coulters speech there, which was originally slated for today.

Journalist Tim Pool live streamed video of the protests. Numerous onlookers tweeted video and photos of the Free Speech Rally.

In addition to the conservative and alt-right protests, the International Socialist Organizations Bay Area chapter coordinated an Alt-Right Delete rally to demonstrate against racist provocateurs.

A right wing activist (right) debates with a UC Berkeley student during a rally at Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park on April 27, 2017 in Berkeley, Calif. Protesters are gathering in Berkeley to protest the cancellation of a speech by American conservative political commentator Ann Coulter at UC Berkeley. (Photo: Justin Sullivan, Getty Images)

During the demonstrations, policeput upbarricades and forbid protesters from entering the UC Berkeley Campus.Officers were equipped with riot gear, and a helicoptermonitored the protests at the Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center from above.

At 1 p.m.UC Berkeleytweeted that police had made two arrests.

The UC Berkeley student newspaper, the Daily Californian, reported that about 30 police were on the scene and that demonstrators were from across the political spectrum.

Including some other prominent conservatives.

And others.

Coulter, a conservative commentator, had been invited to speak by conservative student groups. Yesterday, Coulter announced that she would not be deliveringher address, even though she had vowed to after the university first canceled her talk over safety concerns and then offered her another date after classes were over. The conservative groups initially supported her decision to come anyway even filing a lawsuit then backed down amid threats of violence, leading to her decision not to show up after all.

UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks told the universitys community members,

We must make every effort to hold events at a time and location that maximizes the chances that First Amendment rights can be successfully exercised and that community members can be protected. While our commitment to freedom of speech and expression remains absolute, we have an obligation to heed our police departments assessment of how best to hold safe and successful events.

Coulter told the Associated Press via email, Im not speaking. But Im going to be near there, so I might swing by to say hello to my supporters who have flown in from all around the country.

To prepare forpotential confrontations,theCity ofBerkeley issued a press release encouragingpeaceful protesters to stay safe at demonstrations and warning against getting baited by provocateurs.

Likewise, Chancellor Dirks issued a message on safety addressed to the UC Berkeley community yesterday.

In the note, Dirks said, Our goal tomorrow, and always is to ensure the safety of those in our campus community while also protecting the First Amendment rights of those who wish to gather on our public campus.

Dirks added, It is likely that the majority of those who demonstrate tomorrow will do so peacefully, but UCPD is aware that there are individuals and groups unaffiliated with campus who have clearly stated their intention to use violent tactics in support of their respective causes.

U.S. airforce veteran Daryl Tempeste during a rally for conservative author Anne Coulter and pro-Trump supporters at the Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park in Berkeley, Calif., April 27, 2017. (Photo: John G. Mabanglo)

The university tweeted a warning about potential issues associated with expected protests.

Over the past several months, UC Berkeley has been at the center of a roiling debate over free speech on U.S. campuses, especially public universities. In February, demonstrations prior to alt-right leader Milo Yiannopouloss planned speech led the university to call off the event, sparking violence.

Nevertheless, at a news conference,UC Berkeley officials stressed theschools commitment to free speech. The assistant vice chancellor for public affairs, Dan Mogulof, said,Everything we have done to date is about facilitating and supporting our student group in trying to make it possible for Ms. Coulter to exercise her First Amendment rights.

Lauren Padilla is a student at Johns Hopkins University and a USA TODAY College digital producer.

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Ann Coulter didn't show up at UC Berkeley, but protesters did ...