It was yet another violent day in Berkeley, California Saturday as leftist protestors attacked attendees at a pro-Trump free speech rally.
Berkeley became the main front in the new war on the first amendment in February when protesters rioted and successfully shut down a scheduled speech by conservatarian firebrand Milo Yiannopoulos. “Rockets and incendiary devices were fired at police, the Student Union campus building where Milo was scheduled to appear was besieged and severely damaged, Trump supporters were assaulted, fires were ignited, and the riot then spilled out onto city streets where windows were smashed and businesses vandalized.” Berkeley Police were roundly criticized for not protecting anyone from the beatings and withdrawing from the scene.
On March 4th, there was a riot by “ANTIFA” protestors in Berkeley California. They came to Berkeley to physically attack participants in a pro-Trump rally called #March4Trump, or #SpiritofAmerica. In dozens of states, these rallies were held as general cheerleading for the president and his policies. The Antifa group was successful in clobbering many of the peaceably assembled, bloodying young and old alike. Berkeley Police were roundly criticized for not protecting anyone from the beatings and withdrawing from the scene.
In response to these previous incidents, activist Rich Black organized an ad hoc group calling itself the Liberty Revival Alliance. The group held a rally on Saturday called Patriots Day featuring Lauren Southern and other young Conservatives prominent on social media. The Antifa group was there again, and again proceeded to beat, stomp, and gas those who intended to rally for free speech. Berkeley Police were roundly criticized for not protecting anyone from the beatings and withdrawing from the scene.
Notice a pattern?
You might think that after the previous dreadful performance of his police department at these events, the new Chief of Police would have ordered his men and women to protect the defenseless, and help those being smashed. But they did not. Mother Jones reporter Shane Bauer captured this interaction where he happened upon a carload of police officers whiling the day away, well away from the skirmish lines.
Bauer: Hey, how come you guys are hanging back?
BPD: That would be a good question for the chief of police.
Bauer: I haven’t seen the cops around, and people are beating the s— out of each other.
BPD: Contact the public information officer
The recording concludes with this exchange:
BPD: What’s your next question?
Bauer: I’m just wondering why I’ve been watching all day people get beat up pretty bad, and I haven’t seen you guys around much.
BPD: Uhh-huh. Okay. And?
For a moment, consider the outrage if it were women being beaten because they supported abortion rights, or leftist blacks who marched for … whatever, while police sat on their thumbs. Well, such outrage would be warranted. Conservatives and libertarians deserve no fewer protections for our civil rights.
There have been hospitalizations but no deaths yet attributable to the attacks. That, however, is simply a matter of luck when you witness the level of force employed by the assailants.
Local police persist in their unwillingness to help. State police and political leadership can’t even be bothered to tweet about it. The U.S. attorney for the district is an acting placeholder waiting for a Trump nominee. So, it’s up to the president now. What actions, if any, will he and his eventual appointee order to address the failure of these authorities to protect the most basic rights of all Americans?
