Gates Cancels Speech Over Protest Threat

Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl F. Gates canceled a scheduled appearance before a conservative student organization at Cal State Northridge on Wednesday because he feared his appearance would lead to disruptions by protesters.

Gates had been invited to speak by Students for America, whose leaders say they support the U.S. Constitution, free enterprise, family values and the superiority of Western culture. Student groups representing Chicanos, blacks, Koreans, gays and lesbians had planned to speak out against Gates.

Stefan Khatchaturian of Students for America said the demonstrators posed a potential danger to Gates. But Gabriel Buelna, chairman of the Chicano student organization MEChA, said the groups had only planned to challenge Gates on his department’s treatment of minorities, a prominent issue since the videotaped beating of a black motorist in March.