Numerous people gathered for hours at the University of California, Berkeley, on Monday to protest a Turning Point USA event scheduled for that night.
The event at the well-known left-wing university was a stop on Turning Point USA’s “The American Comeback” tour. It came two months to the day that the organization’s founder, Charlie Kirk, was assassinated during a tour stop at Utah Valley University on September 10. Multiple reports mentioned the violent attacks on TPUSA supporters by some of the protesters.
Several of the protesters mocked Kirk’s murder, including one man who provoked the crowd of agitators while shouting about Kirk’s death in a video published by Fox News.
“Who’s more alive here than Charlie Kirk?” he asked the crowd after appearing to climb over a security barrier. The man then promptly put his hands behind his back and was arrested by the police.
“You’re a hero, my man,” someone shouted as he was led away by police officers.
One of the protesters held up a sign that read, “Kirk said death penalties should be public, quick, and televised … congrats, bud!”
Others objected to the university providing an opportunity for the group to speak and hold an event.
“They’re using our facilities, resources to do it, which I think is just crazy,” a student protester, Stella, told ABC 7 News. “Go somewhere else, we don’t want you here.”
Demonstrations started on Monday afternoon on the college campus and continued throughout the day until the event began in the evening. Attendees to the Turning Point USA event were harassed, insulted, and jeered while entering the event and after it ended, according to reports. Earlier in the day, a brawl broke out between a man wearing a red Turning Point shirt and a protester. This confrontation, along with other incidents throughout the day, led to multiple arrests.
One attendee told ABC 7 News some of the reactions she received and the intimidation tactics they endured while wearing clothing that mentioned Kirk and Jesus.
“When you see someone that courageous with their faith, you’re like why am I not that courageous with my faith” said Grace Fortune. “I shouldn’t be afraid to wear a shirt that says ‘Jesus’ on it.”
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Fortune later described how a protester assaulted a vendor selling T-shirts for the event. He had a bloody face and was escorted away by police while the attacker was arrested, Fortune said.
It is believed that the vendor involved in the attack may be the same person from the brawl mentioned above, but this cannot be confirmed.
A significant law enforcement presence was deployed to prevent agitators and protesters from entering the event, which featured comedian Rob Schneider and author Frank Turek. Despite the protesters and resistance to the scheduled event, a UC Berkeley spokesman emphasized that the university “works to support the rights and ability of all speakers to participate in events hosted by student organizations without regard for their beliefs and perspectives.”
