The story goes like this: protesters were threatening Ann Coulter with violence, so she canceled her scheduled appearance in Ottawa, Canada, one of the places she planned to peddle her new book, titled "I'm a lying wimp."Nah, that's not the name of her new book; I just made it up.
But the rest is true. And poor Ann, in her inimitable way, trashed the organizers of the event and officials in Ottawa because she had been treated so badly.
According to Ken Wightman, writing for the Digital Journal, "Coulter's security detail informed her it may not be safe to speak and so the event was cancelled (sic)." Unfortunately, her anger was misplaced. Wightman notes that the Ottawa police were not responsible for the cancellation. Alain Boucher, "Ottawa Police Services media relations officer ... said, 'It was a decision by organizers and her own security.'"
Furthermore, some media folks claimed thousands of protesters had gathered, that they became a "mob," that there was a "riot," and that the police presence was insufficient.
And ... omigod ... there were also "reports that the police were monitoring Facebook and had informed Coulter's people of an apparent menacing tone in Facebook activity ('bring sticks, bring rocks')".
Almost makes you feel sorry for poor Ann.
Except for the facts: Police guessed the crowd at about 1,500 and many were not protesters at all, just folks who wanted to hear what Annie Get Your Gun had to say. There wasn't any mob or riot. And when the police suggested the crowd go home, they went quietly.
Furthermore, "Boucher ... said the Ottawa police took the protest seriously and were not undermanned," nor did the police "monitor" Facebook.
Ah so. Coulter, a noted bully, did what so many bullies do when their bluff is called: She pulled up stakes, took down her tent, and headed for a safe haven, while blaming everyone in sight for her own cowardice.
Annie get your gun and run!
h/t and thanks to Ken Wightman at Rockinon
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