University of California, Los Angeles – Cancellation of Bari Weiss Lecture

Summary

On February 18, 2026, UCLA announced the cancellation of the planned Daniel Pearl Memorial Lecture by Bari Weiss, editor‑in‑chief of CBS News, which had been scheduled for February 27, 2026. Weiss’ team withdrew from the event, citing security concerns amid anticipated protests from students and some faculty members. The university stated that it had coordinated with campus police and other safety personnel to prepare for potential disruptions, but the decision ultimately came at the speaker’s request. Ticket holders were informed they would receive refunds, and the possibility of a virtual lecture was discussed.

The lecture had been scheduled as part of the annual Daniel Pearl Memorial Lecture series, hosted by UCLA’s Burkle Center for International Relations, a program focused on global affairs and cross‑cultural understanding. The series honors journalist Daniel Pearl, who was kidnapped and murdered in 2002 while reporting in Pakistan, by promoting dialogue on freedom of the press, ethics, and international engagement. Critics on campus argued that Weiss’ past public positions and editorial decisions conflicted with the values of the event. Weiss, a former opinion editor and columnist for major news outlets who founded her own media company, The Free Press, has been associated with commentary opposing what she called “illiberal” or “woke” cultural trends, and framing media bias in ways that some said reflected particular political stances; these critiques extended to her leadership at CBS News, where some staffers and observers raised concerns about editorial direction, newsroom morale, and decisions about coverage priorities.

In the days leading up to the cancellation, a petition circulated on campus expressing concern over Weiss’ participation, gathering signatures from students and some faculty members. Certain faculty publicly stated they would resign if the lecture continued, emphasizing that hosting Weiss would conflict with the lecture’s focus on responsible journalism and ethical reporting. University officials confirmed that they were prepared to implement safety measures, but the speaker chose to withdraw.

Following the cancellation, the University of California president issued a statement expressing disappointment and reaffirming the system’s commitment to free expression. The statement noted that the university would work with Weiss and UCLA leadership to potentially reschedule the lecture and emphasized that differing viewpoints should not prevent constitutionally protected speech from being presented on campus.