Violence has erupted once again in Berkeley, California, as leftist “anti-fascists” violently attacked a rally to support President Donald Trump — assaulting the elderly, burning signs promoting free speech, and threatening reporters.
"Get out of here, you little POS," someone yelled at a ~ 12-year-old Trump supporter who is here with her dad. She flipped them the finger.
— Lizzie Johnson (@lizziejohnsonnn) March 5, 2017
The “March 4 Trump” movement staged peaceful rallies across the nation on Saturday, most of which ran smoothly. Unfortunately, protesters descended upon the rally in Berkeley, bringing chaos and taking a stand against the freedom of speech.
They literally burnt the free speech sign.#Berkeley pic.twitter.com/apJl6Uwrvz
— Jeremy Rivkin (@XoduzMidnight) March 5, 2017
Shortly after the event began at 2 p.m. local time, skirmishes broke out between those marching for Trump and the radical aggressors. An elderly man was also pepper sprayed, presumably for daring to wear a “Make America Great Again” cap.
#March4Trump #berkeley elderly man pepper sprayed by #antifa pic.twitter.com/5z3O6UZuhL
— Jason Belich ?? (@JasonBelich) March 4, 2017
Within an hour, the situation had escalated dramatically, with reports that black bloc had taken over the pro-Trump march. The Associated Press reports that people in the crowd were also throwing smoke bombs.
Fighting is spreading to the streets in Berkeley. This isn't a Trump rally anymore. It's the anarchists. pic.twitter.com/cFIu7akCSX
— Lizzie Johnson (@lizziejohnsonnn) March 4, 2017
Police did not immediately intervene, and as protesters burned an American flag they informed a woman that they were not allowed to put out the fire, San Francisco Chronicle reporter Lizzie Johnson reported on Twitter.
"Can you put the fire out?" a woman asked. "Sorry we cannot," an officer responded. #Berkeley
— Lizzie Johnson (@lizziejohnsonnn) March 5, 2017
Absolute chaos out here. Absolute chaos. Fighting. Pepper spray. Police aren't interfering yet.
— Lizzie Johnson (@lizziejohnsonnn) March 4, 2017
These protestors clearly aren't athletes. Eggs are hitting everyone but their target, this random guy advocating for the homeless. pic.twitter.com/vUGonug6bk
— Lizzie Johnson (@lizziejohnsonnn) March 5, 2017
Around 3:15 p.m., police began moving in and making arrests.
Two still in handcuffs explain what happened. Berkeley police say they can not comment. #March4Trump #berkeley @XpressNews pic.twitter.com/oNnwXFSLfM
— Audrey Garces (@AudreyGarces) March 5, 2017
At least one person has been taken to the hospital with a head wound.
Johnson was reportedly warned that she would be killed if she stayed at the scene, doing her job. She also reported that the leftists were throwing eggs at police and the press.
A woman is cooking eggs on a burning #Trump baseball cap. I really, really would not encourage eating those. #Berkeley
— Lizzie Johnson (@lizziejohnsonnn) March 5, 2017
OK, now they're throwing the eggs at police and reporters. Police still not reacting. #Berkeley
— Lizzie Johnson (@lizziejohnsonnn) March 5, 2017
Last month, black-clad rioters violently shut down a Milo Yiannopolous speaking event at the University of California at Berkeley by throwing a firebomb, violently attacking event attendees, looting a Starbucks, and vandalizing the area.
The group, wearing ski masks and all-black attire from head to toe, launched fireworks and molotov cocktails at police, caused an estimated $100,000 in damage to the MLK Student Union, and toppled a mobile light structure, setting its generator on fire. The city estimates that the rioters caused between $400,000 and $500,000 in damage to the area outside the university.
Black bloc is a common tactic used by far-left anarchists to make it difficult to identify violent protesters for prosecution, by making themselves indistinguishable from one another. While the tactic has been used in various parts of the world for decades, the first recorded use of black bloc tactics in the United States was at the Pentagon in 1988, during a protest calling for the US to stop supporting right-wing death squads in El Salvador. Since then, it has been a common movement at protests across the nation, picking up steam after the Occupy Wall Street protests swept across the country.
This situation is ongoing and will continue to be updated.
The post Another Day of Chaos in Berkeley as Leftists Violently Attack Peaceful Trump Rally appeared first on We Are Change.
from We Are Change https://wearechange.org/another-day-chaos-berkeley-leftists-violently-attack-peaceful-trump-rally/
No comments:
Post a Comment