The University of California at Berkeley was forced to cancel a talk by an editor at the right-wing Breitbart News website, Milo Yiannopoulos, after student protests turned violent.
Mr Yiannopoulos is an outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump.
Hundreds of students rallied and were faced by riot police. At least one fire was started and police used tear gas as the campus was put on lockdown.
There are no reports of arrests or serious injuries.
Mr Yiannopoulos's comments have been criticised as racist and misogynist.
Last year he was banned from Twitter after leading a campaign against Ghostbusters actress Leslie Jones.
Berkeley College Republicans sponsored Mr Yiannopoulos's visit.
Their spokesman Pieter Sittler said they didn't agree with everything he said, but "he gives a voice to repressed conservative thought on American college campuses".
UC Berkeley stressed that it had not invited Mr Yiannopoulos, but had rejected earlier calls to cancel the event.
Protests began peacefully earlier on Wednesday. But demonstrators later broke windows at the hall where the talk was due to be held, threw smoke bombs and started a fire on Sproul Plaza.
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