Antifa Is Back At It
- Thread starter wvu2007
- Start date
BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — Black-clad anarchists on Sunday stormed into what had been a largely peaceful Berkeley protest against hate and attacked at least four people, including the leader of a politically conservative group who canceled an event a day earlier in San Francisco because of fears violence could break out.
The group of more than 100 hooded protesters, with shields emblazoned with the words "no hate" and waving a flag identifying themselves as anarchist , busted through police lines, avoiding security checks by officers to take away possible weapons. Then the anarchists and blended in with a crowd of 2,000 largely peaceful protesters who turned up to demonstrate in a "Rally Against Hate" opposed to a much smaller gathering of right-wing protesters.
Among those assaulted by the anarchists was Joey Gibson, the leader of the Patriot Prayer group, who canceled a rally Friday and was prevented from holding a news conference on Saturday when authorities closed off the public square Gibson planned to use. Gibson has said he launched Patriot Prayer after several supporters of President Donald Trump were beaten at a Trump campaign stop in San Jose, California last year.
After the anarchists spotted Gibson at the Berkeley park, they pepper-sprayed him and chased him out of it as he backed away with his hands held in the air, accompanied by a masked man wearing football shoulder pads. Gibson and the man went behind a line of police wearing riot gear, who set off a smoke bomb to drive away the anarchists.
Earlier in the day, another group of left-wing demonstrators dressed in black attacked at least three men in the park, kicking and punching them until the assaults were stopped by police. Police also used a smoke grenade to stop one scuffle.
Police in the San Francisco area have been braced for violence and trying to prevent protests that draw left-wing and right-wing opponents since the deadly confrontation in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Aug. 12 during a rally of white supremacists.
Berkeley authorities did not issue a permit Sunday's gathering of right-wing protesters and Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin had urged counter-protesters to stay away.
It had been canceled by organizer Amber Cummings, who encouraged supporters to stay away but said she would attend on her own.
By mid-afternoon Cummings had not appeared and left-wing protesters far outnumbered right-wing supporters.
Earlier in the day, police had set up barricades around park and checked people who entered to make sure they did not have prohibited items like baseball bats, dogs, skateboards and scarves or bandanas they could use to cover their faces.
Several people were arrested for violating rules against covering their faces or carrying items banned by authorities.
At one point, an anti-rally protester denounced a Latino man holding a "God Bless Donald Trump" sign.
"You are an immigrant," said Karla Fonseca. "You should be ashamed of yourself."
Several other people also yelled at the man, who said he was born in Mexico but supports Trump's proposal to build a wall along the southern border.
Police pulled one supporter of President Donald Trump out of the park over a wall by his shirt as a crowd of about two dozen counter demonstrators surrounded him and chanted "Nazi go home" and pushed him toward the edge of the park. At least two people were detained by officers for wearing bandannas covering their faces.
Anti-rally protesters chanted slogans "No Trump. No KKK. No fascist USA" and carried signs that said: "Berkeley Stands United Against Hate."
A separate group of counter protesters had assembled earlier Sunday at the nearby University of California, Berkeley campus and then marched park to merge with the anti-rally protesters who had already gathered there.
Both Cummings and Gibson have disavowed racism and say they wanted to hold the rallies to bring conservative voices to the liberal San Francisco Bay Area.
Student activism was born during the 1960s free-speech movement at Berkeley, when thousands of students at the university mobilized to demand that the school drop its ban on political activism.
However, the violence in Charlottesville led San Francisco area police and civil leaders to rethink their response to protests.
___
Associated Press writers Terry Chea and Marcio Sanchez in Berkeley contributed to this report.
The group of more than 100 hooded protesters, with shields emblazoned with the words "no hate" and waving a flag identifying themselves as anarchist , busted through police lines, avoiding security checks by officers to take away possible weapons. Then the anarchists and blended in with a crowd of 2,000 largely peaceful protesters who turned up to demonstrate in a "Rally Against Hate" opposed to a much smaller gathering of right-wing protesters.
Among those assaulted by the anarchists was Joey Gibson, the leader of the Patriot Prayer group, who canceled a rally Friday and was prevented from holding a news conference on Saturday when authorities closed off the public square Gibson planned to use. Gibson has said he launched Patriot Prayer after several supporters of President Donald Trump were beaten at a Trump campaign stop in San Jose, California last year.
After the anarchists spotted Gibson at the Berkeley park, they pepper-sprayed him and chased him out of it as he backed away with his hands held in the air, accompanied by a masked man wearing football shoulder pads. Gibson and the man went behind a line of police wearing riot gear, who set off a smoke bomb to drive away the anarchists.
Earlier in the day, another group of left-wing demonstrators dressed in black attacked at least three men in the park, kicking and punching them until the assaults were stopped by police. Police also used a smoke grenade to stop one scuffle.
Police in the San Francisco area have been braced for violence and trying to prevent protests that draw left-wing and right-wing opponents since the deadly confrontation in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Aug. 12 during a rally of white supremacists.
Berkeley authorities did not issue a permit Sunday's gathering of right-wing protesters and Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin had urged counter-protesters to stay away.
It had been canceled by organizer Amber Cummings, who encouraged supporters to stay away but said she would attend on her own.
By mid-afternoon Cummings had not appeared and left-wing protesters far outnumbered right-wing supporters.
Earlier in the day, police had set up barricades around park and checked people who entered to make sure they did not have prohibited items like baseball bats, dogs, skateboards and scarves or bandanas they could use to cover their faces.
Several people were arrested for violating rules against covering their faces or carrying items banned by authorities.
At one point, an anti-rally protester denounced a Latino man holding a "God Bless Donald Trump" sign.
"You are an immigrant," said Karla Fonseca. "You should be ashamed of yourself."
Several other people also yelled at the man, who said he was born in Mexico but supports Trump's proposal to build a wall along the southern border.
Police pulled one supporter of President Donald Trump out of the park over a wall by his shirt as a crowd of about two dozen counter demonstrators surrounded him and chanted "Nazi go home" and pushed him toward the edge of the park. At least two people were detained by officers for wearing bandannas covering their faces.
Anti-rally protesters chanted slogans "No Trump. No KKK. No fascist USA" and carried signs that said: "Berkeley Stands United Against Hate."
A separate group of counter protesters had assembled earlier Sunday at the nearby University of California, Berkeley campus and then marched park to merge with the anti-rally protesters who had already gathered there.
Both Cummings and Gibson have disavowed racism and say they wanted to hold the rallies to bring conservative voices to the liberal San Francisco Bay Area.
Student activism was born during the 1960s free-speech movement at Berkeley, when thousands of students at the university mobilized to demand that the school drop its ban on political activism.
However, the violence in Charlottesville led San Francisco area police and civil leaders to rethink their response to protests.
___
Associated Press writers Terry Chea and Marcio Sanchez in Berkeley contributed to this report.
A little bit too soon to compare this to the Chinese Revolution, isn't it? I mean, you guys were ok with letting racists do their thing........and speaking of that, did you see the latest picture from Charlottsville incident? Oh, those peaceful Klansmen.......
I have never said they were peaceful or right. I think the police completely fumbled the ball. There is no way those two groups should have come together. Tear gas should ahve been deployed. I agree with you on the confederate battle flag. I hate seeing it flying around here in Va. I do not have a problem with statues. The country was less then 100 years old and some of those generals were born in the late 1700's. Different time and different felling among those men. Not the same now.A little bit too soon to compare this to the Chinese Revolution, isn't it? I mean, you guys were ok with letting racists do their thing........and speaking of that, did you see the latest picture from Charlottsville incident? Oh, those peaceful Klansmen.......
Last time I checked we had a first amendment to free speech...not sure I see anything in the constitution about violently attacking those you disagree with.
Congrats
Amazing some of you defend these people and their type of behavior.....you want to talk about a "terrorist organization"???? But you think they have the right to publicly speak........:middlefinger:
Amazing some of you defend these people and their type of behavior.....you want to talk about a "terrorist organization"???? But you think they have the right to publicly speak........:middlefinger:
Amazing that you support Antifa and ISIS
Amazing some of you defend these people and their type of behavior.....you want to talk about a "terrorist organization"???? But you think they have the right to publicly speak........:middlefinger:
Just your typical 1920's Democratic shindig. You might want to try something this century, at least.
A right to speak, and a right to beat the crap out of people are two different things. Who tells police to stand down when a riot is occurring?
Your not being able to understand is typical.....so let me try again:
1. The KKK has switched from a left-wing Democrat group to a more conservative Right-wing Republican one.
2. Free speech is fine, if you are not a TERRORIST ORGANIZATION.......like the KKK. Would you support allowing ISIS and Al Qaeda to practice free speech in America? I think not......
Now, carry on.
By the Constitution they do have a right to speak. Glad you are waking up to the reality that Antifa is about on par with the KKK.Amazing some of you defend these people and their type of behavior.....you want to talk about a "terrorist organization"???? But you think they have the right to publicly speak........:middlefinger:
Assuming they were all US Citizens, conducting their business peacefully, and were lawfully permitted to do so, I don't have a choice. There is this thing called the Constitution, that guarantees their right to do so.
You antifa supporters are dupes. You have zero knowledge about their global doctrine. AND NO Trump defender on this board HAS EVER embraced anything about the kkk,nazis or surpremist groups. Your unbridled hatred for President Trump is beyond pathetic.
I would call voting for someone endorsed by the KKK and the American Nazis embracing someone they admire. Wonder what they see in him that you do too? You just think it is unbridled hate, more like embarrassment and shame, I'm on the right side. Dumbass thinks the House and Senate work for him. He is already toast and intelligent people know it.
I just think this post is funny. Mostly because Keyser considers himself one of the intelligent people.
Do you really want to start down this path? I think you know better. Trump may not be the President in 2021....but he is now.....regardless if he is "toast". What I see in him is the same as what you saw in President Obama.......that he was elected President. You folks rolled with Hillary and lost.
