Arizona is no stranger to fiery far-right voices, but one such voice won't be speaking in the state as planned this week.
Former Breitbart contributor Milo Yiannopoulos was set to speak at the Free Speech Arizona event in Phoenix Oct. 27 and 28, but according to organizers, he won't be attending due to safety concerns.
"Unfortunately, the company we hired to organize the event failed to complete necessary steps crucial to provide the proper security for someone with the stature of Mr. Yiannopoulos, and we have asked Mr Yiannopoulos not to attend as we cannot guarantee his safety," read a post on the United Liberty Coalition's Facebook page.
In the post, the coalition quoted Yiannopoulos saying that free speech in America is under threat.
"The contrast between my tour in Australia, which has grown from 5 to 7 venues, and my tour in America, where 3 venues have cancelled due to safety concerns, should serve as a wake-up call to the guardians of free speech in this country. Left-wing bullies continue to use the threat of violence - and, often, deploy real violence - to suppress conservative speakers. In a constitutional republic, government should have a monopoly on the use of force in order to protect the rights of its citizens. It is time for America's political leaders to defend free speech with the vigor required to stand up to these would-be totalitarians. My fabulousness cannot stand alone."
Yiannopoulos has made a name for himself with anti-politically correct speech criticizing feminism, social justice and gay rights, despite being openly gay himself.
He resigned from Breitbart earlier this year after a video clip surfaced of him defending sexual relationships between minors and adults.
More recently, a BuzzFeed News report uncovered that he had used various references to Nazism in his passwords.
The post by the coalition did not say whether the rest of the rally would go on as planned, and no location has been posted for the event on the coalition's Facebook page.
