Protesters forced a controversial right-wing speaker to cancel a talk at a California university after they set fires, threw smoke bombs and clashed with police.

Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos had been due to speak in the student union at the University of California, Berkeley, on Wednesday.

It was the last stop of a tour he claimed was targeting an epidemic of political correctness on college campuses.

Two hours before the speech, protesters hurled metal barricades and rocks through the student union windows and torched a generator near the entrance.

Police ordered the protesters to disperse as the campus was put on lockdown, before firing rubber pellets after bricks and fireworks were thrown at them, according to new website SFGate.com.


Image: Milo Yiannopoulos claimed protesters were 'terrified of free speech'

Mr Yiannopoulos, 33, is British and a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump.

The self-proclaimed internet troll has been criticised as racist, misogynist, anti-Muslim and white supremacist.

Last year, his Twitter account was suspended after he was accused of participating in the harassment of an African-American actress.

In a statement, he said "the Left" was "absolutely terrified of free speech and will do literally anything to shut it down".

If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017

Mr Yiannapoulos told Fox News he was evacuated by police after protesters began throwing rocks at the building he was in.

He added: "Obviously it's a liberal campus so they hate any libertarians or conservatives who dare to express an opinion on their campuses.

"They particularly don't like me."

Image: A portable light system was burned during the protests at the University of California, Berkeley

University spokesman Dan Mogulos said officials advised students to shelter in place and to stay away from the union building.

In a statement, the university said some 150 "masked agitators" were responsible for the violence during an otherwise peaceful protest of about 1,500 people.

It added it was "proud of its history and legacy as home of the Free Speech Movement" in the 1960s.

The talk was sponsored by the campus Republican club.

Several of Mr Yiannopoulos' talks on other US college campuses have been cancelled due to protests or security concerns.