It’s a bit too late for today’s rally, but our best wishes to anyone who decides to hold any sort of march or event in Berkeley, Calif., that might upset the so-called anti-fascists, or “antifa” for short, who seem dead-set on ensuring any celebration of liberty ends in literal flames.
Berkeley, of course, is where “the resistance” managed to shut down a Milo Yiannopoulos speech before it could begin and then smashed windows and set fires anyway before marching through the streets and vandalizing local businesses. Just over a month later, the anti-fascists attacked attendees of Berkeley’s #March4Trump rally with pepper spray, fireworks, and smoke bombs.
That’s February and March covered; now, in mid-April, the organizer behind the #March4Trump rally gave freedom of peaceful assembly another shot with his Free Speech Rally in Berkeley’s Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park.
Message for medical attention if you get attacked for supporting free speech in Berkeley tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/xOKyhgaaaz
— Kiara Bickers (@kiarabickers) April 15, 2017
Everything on that poster looks encouraging, until, of course, you get the part about the event being held in Berkeley. Of course, there couldn’t be a free speech event without the antifa showing up in their uniform black hoodies with bandanas over many of their faces. “Quickly turned violent” is now officially a cliché when writing about anything that happens there.
https://twitter.com/Timcast/status/853289457889320960
Xer coming out with the comrades pic.twitter.com/34FPeDudKx
— Lauren Southern (@Lauren_Southern) April 15, 2017
Protesters take a break; snatch a bite #berkrally pic.twitter.com/3Aniv6DiDe
— Azwar Shakeel (@azwarshakeel12) April 15, 2017
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Idk how this plastic wrap will hold back anti fa and #Berkeleyfreespeech from each other, still early live now on https://t.co/eddYL0TemC pic.twitter.com/W9NsF11qR8
— Luke Rudkowski (@Lukewearechange) April 15, 2017
anti fa and #Berkeleyfreespeech are now on the same side of the fence arguing with each other, now on https://t.co/eddYL0TemC pic.twitter.com/WhKO7wamFW
— Luke Rudkowski (@Lukewearechange) April 15, 2017
BAMN members chant "Stop Donald Trump!" while others chant "We love Donald Trump!" #berkrally pic.twitter.com/InJgqPcU53
— Harini Shyamsundar (@hshyamsundar) April 15, 2017
Person who was taken away is a member of the Proud Boys, a "fraternity of Western chauvinists". First name is Levi.#berkrally pic.twitter.com/cpdsrlWM8U
— Bobby Lee (@bybobbylee) April 15, 2017
BAMN stands for By Any Means Necessary; check out Tucker Carlson’s recent interview with Yvette Felarca for some insight into the group’s leadership. Our post on the protest outside Gavin McInnes’ NYU speech has some background on the Proud Boys.
"Racist, sexist, anti-gay, Nazi scumbags go away!" #berkrally pic.twitter.com/os0N9CKuDr
— Harini Shyamsundar (@hshyamsundar) April 15, 2017
Demonstration turns violent #berkrally pic.twitter.com/2IjvoFy9wK
— Harini Shyamsundar (@hshyamsundar) April 15, 2017
https://twitter.com/Timcast/status/853311208497094656
Here’s a selfie from featured speaker Lauren Southern.
Pepper spray everywhere ?? pic.twitter.com/9EDLLL5cRq
— Lauren Southern (@Lauren_Southern) April 15, 2017
anti fa and #Berkeleyfreespeech just fought, live now on https://t.co/eddYL0TemC pic.twitter.com/Kcn7m7yZjI
— Luke Rudkowski (@Lukewearechange) April 15, 2017
Two flash bangs in last two minutes #berkrally pic.twitter.com/YOQvLJp2yv
— Bobby Lee (@bybobbylee) April 15, 2017
John Beavers says he sustained a broken nose after being Antifa members "blindsided me with brass knuckles". #berkrally pic.twitter.com/QMfGkcyAC5
— Bobby Lee (@bybobbylee) April 15, 2017
Beavers says he's not sure who attacked him. Says "we need change, America needs to come together, needs to grow up" #berkrally
— Bobby Lee (@bybobbylee) April 15, 2017
Sweden’s not looking so good these days.
— Lauren Southern (@Lauren_Southern) April 15, 2017
anti fa and #Berkeleyfreespeech rally really have some interesting signs out today. live now on https://t.co/zkOhLT42fw pic.twitter.com/ZR0N6QSUqw
— Luke Rudkowski (@Lukewearechange) April 15, 2017
Water/soda bottles thrown, firecrackers deployed #berkrally pic.twitter.com/rfO9y2dd4r
— Harini Shyamsundar (@hshyamsundar) April 15, 2017
Berkeley free speech rally quickly turning violent pic.twitter.com/UuZ2hpfV9c
— Rob Malcolm (@RobTV2019) April 15, 2017
Protesters stand-off on the street; throw things at each other #berkrally pic.twitter.com/OgqV965Ecy
— Azwar Shakeel (@azwarshakeel12) April 15, 2017
Flash bangs thrown and fights break out at #berkeley rally. Protesters still occupy the street pic.twitter.com/8lRGqbhuMg
— Gabrielle Canon (@GabrielleCanon) April 15, 2017
Well. So much for peace and order. #Trump supporters and #protestors duking it out in #Berkeley right now. pic.twitter.com/wEbJ9umSE9
— Oakland Photo Vault (@BlackKangoPhoto) April 15, 2017
Some of the graffiti drawn by protesters #berkrally pic.twitter.com/1j8frLiAhf
— Bobby Lee (@bybobbylee) April 15, 2017
Some activist being treated by medics Berkeley PD launching M80's to break up fights. pic.twitter.com/HNM2KHagN9
— Rob Malcolm (@RobTV2019) April 15, 2017
Protesters drag dumpster down Center Street #berkrally pic.twitter.com/VbE7sfwptP
— Azwar Shakeel (@azwarshakeel12) April 15, 2017
Larry Michaelson and Brett Johnson, two members of Bay Area Antifa, say they're protesting to "oppose white supremacy" #berkrally
— Bobby Lee (@bybobbylee) April 15, 2017
Michaelson: "Free speech has an air of white supremacy…since we have a white majority, the maj. will drown out the minority" #berkrally
— Bobby Lee (@bybobbylee) April 15, 2017
https://twitter.com/Timcast/status/853336990393131008
We’re not sure how long the pepper-sprayings will be going on, but we’ll keep an eye out for further developments and a tally of arrests.
* * *
Update:
https://twitter.com/shane_bauer/status/853342517193986048
A man has been injured. Corner of Center and Milvia #berkrally #Berkeley pic.twitter.com/Zb5eLg6mK0
— Tom Lochner (@tomlochner) April 15, 2017
Wow … maybe one of those shellshocked journalists who could post nothing but “THIS IS NOT NORMAL” for months after the election would like to explain how this has been allowed to happen over and over again in the same city.
https://twitter.com/shane_bauer/status/853353232151609344
Related:
CLUELESS Mayor of Berkeley Jesse Arreguin tweets BS about hate speech, regret-tweets 3 hours laterhttps://t.co/VkNUoFBPmp
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) February 2, 2017
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