Arrests, Assaults as Antifa Unleashes Violence on Right-Wing Protesters in Berkeley

BerkeleyProtest-August-27-2017-AP
Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press

Ten people were arrested for “various violations” Sunday during what was meant to be a peaceful protest and counter-protest in Berkeley, California.

According to the Los Angeles Times, “Members of Antifa were seen involved in a number of violent scuffles.”

Three of the people detained violated the no-mask rule, according to KCRA. A woman who allegedly assaulted a photographer was also arrested, along with two men who exchanged blows.

Thousands of people, from the far-right and far-left of the political spectrum, were reportedly present for the “Rally Against Hate,” where individuals who are opposed to President Donald Trump outnumbered those present in support of the commander-in-chief.

The rally through the Martin Luther King, Jr., Civic Center Park began peacefully, based on social media accounts of the event:

The Washington Post reported that a protester, Karla Fonseca, denounced the Latino man holding a “God Bless Donald Trump” sign in the tweet above telling him, “You are an immigrant. You should be ashamed of yourself.”

President Trump has indicated he is pro-legal immigration.

However, according to video posted to Twitter and media reports, the peace quickly dissipated into violence as Antifa allegedly attacked a reporter and a photographer:

 

https://twitter.com/BevHillsAntifa/status/901899045941022720

According to the Washington Post, “Anti-rally protesters chanted slogans ‘No Trump. No KKK. No fascist USA’ and carried signs that said: ‘Berkeley Stands United Against Hate.'”

Dozens of anti-fascist protesters reportedly pounced on Joey Gibson, founder of the right-wing group Patriot Prayer, and his crew when they showed up at the rally. Patriot Prayer made the choice to cancel their planned “Freedom Rally” in San Francisco’s Crissy Field Beach Saturday due to safety concerns.

“We’ve decided that tomorrow really seems like a setup,” Gibson announced during a Facebook Live video. “It doesn’t seem safe. A lot of people’s lives are going to be in danger tomorrow.” He added, “The rhetoric from Nancy Pelosi, Mayor Lee, the media – all of these people are saying that we’re white supremacists, and it’s bringing in tons of extremists.”

Meanwhile, San Francisco city leaders congratulated themselves over shutting down free speech in the area known as the birthplace of the free speech movement Saturday after Patriot Prayer’s announcement.

Breitbart News reported, “Mayor Ed Lee praised counter-demonstrators who had marched across the city, as well as those who marched near the designated site for the protest. ‘They made sure the themes of love and compassion dominated over hate speech,’ he said at City Hall, according to SFGate.com.”

The Los Angeles Times reported that “Antifa protesters beat one man with a shield and another person wearing an American flag.”

Adelle Nazarian is a politics and national security reporter for Breitbart News. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

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