Protests as rightwing Charlie Kirk activist group makes final campus tour stop | US politics
Turning Point USA, the influential right-wing college group founded by Charlie Kirk, took Kirk’s message two months after his death to a campus with a long history of left-wing activism.
An event held Monday evening at the University of California, Berkeley, marked the chaotic final stop of Kirk’s America Comeback tour, which he had just begun at the time of his death at Utah Valley University. Following Kirk’s fatal shooting, the events began to serve as a memorial service, with prominent conservative speakers including J.D. Vance highlighting the shocking impact the controversial right-wing influencer’s death had on American politics.
Since Kirk was killed allegedly by a 22-year-old gunman in September, Donald Trump has tried to use the incident to attack Democrats, liberal groups and donors. The president warned of the “enemy within” as he and his allies launched attacks on political opponents, actions that academics described as authoritarian and anti-Democratic.
Meanwhile, people were fired from their jobs or disciplined for comments or perceived comments related to Kirk’s murder or publicly espoused beliefs.
The Berkeley event, hosted by the campus’ TPUSA chapter, featured comedian and actor Rob Schneider, who has become an advocate for conservative causes, and Christian author Frank Turek. The gathering of hundreds of demonstrators in front of the Zellerbach Hall on Monday evening was met with a huge protest.
Citizens chanted “Fascists out of Berkeley” and carried banners and Palestinian flags with slogans such as “We won the war, why are there still Nazis” and “There is no safe space for fascist scum.” Meanwhile, dozens of police officers gathered around the entrance, clearing the way for people to enter, and helicopters circled overhead.
Sophie Mason, a freshman protesting after class, said it was “the talk of the town.”
“There was a lot of tension. People were worried,” he said.
The Daily Californian, the Berkeley campus newspaper, reported early Monday morning that police arrested four students for alleged vandalism after they tried to hang a large cardboard insect on the door ahead of the event. reported.
Known as the birthplace of the free speech movement on campus in the 1960s, UC Berkeley has hosted controversial events before. In 2017, thousands of students protested scheduled appearances by right-wing provocateur and former Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos and conservative commentator Ann Coulter. Both events were ultimately canceled, but the city saw violent clashes between opposing groups of protesters.
Monday night’s event, which TPUSA’s Berkeley chapter described as an opportunity to “be a part of the movement building on Charlie’s legacy,” was sold out. That portion has more than doubled since Kirk’s death, organization leaders said.
Third-year student Tyara Gomez said Monday night’s demonstrations were normal, given the history of protests on campus. “Although this one has a lot more police officers,” he said.
The protest was largely peaceful but also witnessed tense moments. The crowd approached a man shouting racial slurs and surrounded the protesters. There were clashes between demonstrators and counter-demonstrators and participants, and there were fears of armed violence. As the crowd reached its peak, a car drove by, apparently firing off gunfire, and dozens of people fled, while others gathered behind concrete pillars, unsure if there was gunfire.
Among them was Mayte, who was reluctant to share her last name and was visiting with her boyfriend. As the vehicle passed, Mayte got stuck behind a concrete structure with her dog and a few others. “You can’t tell if it’s fireworks or a gunshot. It’s scary,” he said.
He felt compelled to watch the demonstration, which was as much a protest against TPUSA as it was against Trump and his agenda. “What happened is very sad. I am the daughter of an immigrant family.”
Mason, a freshman, said he was surprised why Turning Point USA chose to host the event on a liberal campus, but was pleased to see the turnout. “I’m glad a lot of people came together and showed up.”
