The University of California at Berkeley faces threatened suspension of federal funds after a student protest against a right-wing nationalist speaker turned violent on Feb. 1. President Donald Trump has entered the fray in an overreaction that caps a series of miscalculations on almost everyones part. The only winner appears to be the extremist speaker and his supporters.

Trump tweeted a threat that If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view NO FEDERAL FUNDS?

The Berkeley protesters unquestionably went too far. Student organizers said it was supposed to be a peaceful protest, but it instead turned into a chaotic riot scene where masked, ninja-style rampagers took control. Campus police were caught ill-prepared to contain the violence.

Trump also went overboard by threatening to punish an entire university for something over which students, faculty and administrators had little control. If the president follows through, student aid recipients who had nothing to do with the protests could be made to suffer.

The protests were organized against a speech by Milo Yiannopoulos, a senior editor of Breitbart news who is known for caustic public stances and promotion of white supremacist views. His former boss is Stephen Bannon, who is now a senior adviser to Trump.

College campuses around the country, including at the University of Missouri, are under fire for allowing an atmosphere of ideological intolerance to develop. Conservatives have rightly critiqued them for being liberal echo chambers that fail to instill respect for opposing views. For many critics, including Trump supporters, the Berkeley protest affirmed that belief.

Masked protesters threw rocks, set fires and destroyed property, making themselves look like wild, violent thugs worse versions of the very figure they were condemning.

Even though the university had to cancel Yiannopoulos speech, he emerged the victor. He landed interviews on major news outlets and posted a YouTube video that received 1.3 million views. Breitbart.com now advertises $19.95 Free Speech is Burning T-shirts.

During Trumps inauguration, prominent white nationalist Richard Spencer was sucker-punched in the face during a video interview on a Washington street. On internet sites, the question was posed: Is it ever OK to punch a Nazi? The correct answer is no. But a shocking number of online responders answered affirmatively.

Instead of making their voices heard, protesters and critics of the white supremacist movement wound up discrediting themselves and boosting their critics.

None of this justifies Trumps threat to the university. One-third of Berkeley undergraduates depend on federal Pell Grants as part of their aid packages. Universities find themselves in a double bind between protecting free speech and public safety in such situations. But the onus remains on student organizers: Maintain control of your protesters, or lose control of your message.

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Editorial: Heavy price for stifling free speech on campus - STLtoday.com