Thousands of demonstrators carrying signs with slogans like “Stand Against Hate” descended on Berkeley’s Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Park on Sunday for what many hoped would be a peaceful march against bigotry and President Trump.
But it was soon punctuated by tear gas and a scattering of violent skirmishes. Some anti-fascist protesters, wearing black and with their faces covered, chased or beat Trump supporters and organizers who had scheduled and then canceled the “anti-Marxist” rally, citing concerns over safety.
Police, and in some cases other counter-protesters, stepped in to halt the violence or escort the victims away from the area. Officers reported 14 arrests, many of them for violations of the city’s emergency rules banning masks, sticks and potential weapons inside the demonstration area.
The clashes came despite widespread calls from activists and elected officials across the Bay Area for peaceful civil disobedience and underscore Berkeley’s growing reputation for violent reaction by the far left. Other protests earlier this year in the city turned ugly, with far-left and far-right forces fighting in the streets.
Some in Berkeley worried that Sunday’s chaos, captured on video and quickly disseminated through social media, would provide unwanted ammunition to Trump and his supporters.
“We can’t keep producing this audio-visual propaganda,” said Andrew Noruk, a counter-protester who denounced the fights. “It is recruiting for the right.”
The incidents came a day after a series of mostly peaceful activities in San Francisco, where demonstrators also marched in response to a planned far-right rally near the Golden Gate Bridge. Counter-protesters there boasted that they had shown that far-right groups, including neo-Nazis and white supremacists, were not welcome. Police reported one arrest, for public intoxication.
In Berkeley, the demonstration of more than 4,000 people pulled heavily from area labor unions, church groups and liberal activists — but also scores of young people clad in all black, some carrying shields and others with bandannas pulled over their faces.
Those activists are sometimes referred to as “antifa,” a name taken by anti-fascist organizations formed to oppose white nationalists. They are known for their “punch a Nazi” bent.
The counter-demonstrators were in the city to protest the “Say No to Marxism in America” rally, police said. Several who were expected to speak at the event have been linked to white nationalist sentiments or violence in the past.
Kyle Chapman, the far-right activist known as “Based Stickman” who gained fame for his role in previous Berkeley brawls, had been listed among speakers for the canceled event, but was not seen. On Friday, during a hearing on a pending felony weapons charge related to a prior rally, a judge ordered Chapman to stay away from Sunday’s demonstration.
Other planned attendees included Augustus Invictus, a Florida-based white supremacist who attended a torch-lit rally in Charlottesville, Va., according to the Anti-Defamation League. Invictus was not seen Sunday either.
One far-right figure who did show up was Johnny Benitez, the alias of an Orange County resident who organized an “America First” rally in Laguna Beach. Protesters got into shoving matches after he appeared, with some screaming “Go home, Nazi.”
Before the day had ended, Benitez wrote on Twitter that anti-fascists should be designated as “terrorists.”
“If the federal government doesn’t move to expose these terrorists the patriots of this country need to prepare for war,” he tweeted.
Benitez was not the only right-wing activist hurried away from scene. Counter-protesters clad in black pounced when Joey Gibson, founder of the right-wing group Patriot Prayer, showed up in the park. Masked protesters began pepper spraying people and used their shields to hit people who appeared to be with Gibson.
#UPDATE: Black-clad anarchists attack 5 protesters in Berkeley, including organizer of SF Patriot Prayer rally. https://t.co/DItm9Zkx0J pic.twitter.com/2vCMu40lNE
— NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) August 28, 2017
Gibson, who was behind Saturday’s aborted rally in San Francisco, was handcuffed and escorted away by police. Assistant Chief Jim Libby of the California Highway Patrol’s Golden Gate Division later described the officers’ action as a “rescue.”
Anti-fascist protesters also beat one person wearing an American flag. Some threatened to break the cameras of anyone who filmed them, including journalists. Others set off purple smoke bombs.
One counter-protester, in tears, said she worried that Sunday’s event would be tied to violence. Another, who helped break up a fight, was upset over the altercations.
“We need to get antifa out of here,” said Jack Harris, 20, of San Francisco.
Demonstrators clash as they beat up a man and chase him down during counter protest against white supremacist.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Demonstrators beat up a man and chase him down during counter protest against white supremacist at MLK Park.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Clergy members march to the MLK Park. After a right wing rally was cancelled at Martin Luther King Park, various counter protesters converged from the UC Berkeley campus and other locations.
(David Butow / For The Times)After a right wing rally was cancelled at Martin Luther King Park, various counter protesters converged from the UC Berkeley campus and other locations. Above clergy members march to MLK Park.
(David Butow / For the Times)After learning that Trump supporters had been pushed from the park, two counter protesters embrace in Berkeley, Calif.
(David Butow / For The Times)Demonstrators beat up a man and chase him down during counter protest against white supremacist at MLK Park.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Demonstrators chase, jump and tackle a man as police officers watch in a distance, outside of MLK Park.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Demonstrators clash as as they beat up a man during counter protest against white supremacist at MLK Park.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)After a right wing rally was cancelled at Martin Luther King Park, various counter protesters converged from the UC Berkeley campus and other locations. Above a person is lead away from the park by police.
(David Butow / For The Times)Police officers detain and escort a protester out after counter protesters surround him.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Protesters react to their friend getting detained by the police.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Members of the black bloc attack a man during their rally outside of MLK park in Berkeley.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Clergy members who were part of an organized march confer as they arrive at Martin Luther King Park in Berkeley, Calif.
(David Butow / For The Times)Members of the black bloc celebrate as they push into MLK park in Berkeley.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Members of the black bloc push into MLK park after police officers retreated during a day full of protests in Berkeley.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Members of the black bloc march into MLK park.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Members of the black bloc jump over barriers and spill into MLK park in Berkeley.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)A protester is escorted out by the police at MLK Park.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Police officers arrest a protester and her dog during a day of clashes and protest against racism in Berkeley.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Police officers arrest a protester and her dog during a day of clashes and protest against racism, i
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Purple smoke is released as police officers hold the line around MLK park.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Smoke clears out after police launch tear gas to disperse a crowd in Berkeley.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Police officers detain and escort a protester out after counter protesters surround him.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Protesters and counter protesters on both sides of the spectrum, confront each other at MLK park.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Counter-protesters against racism confront protesters aligned with President Trump at MLK Park.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Erin Smith talks to a live broadcast on her phone in front of protesters against racism.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Members of the black bloc hold up shields as they anticipate getting pepper sprayed in Berkeley.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Police officers step and break up a melee during clashes in Berkeley.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Protesters march down Hearst street to celebrate chasing out white supremacist out of their planned events in Berkeley.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)A protester is escorted out by the police at MLK Park.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Matt Christian drapes an American flag over himself as he is surrounded by a rainbow flag during a protest against racism.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)A President Trump supporter holds up a sign amidst protesters against racism at MLK Park.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Matt Christian, right, is confronted by a protester against racism, at MLK Park.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Jovi Val talks to reporters during a rally at MLK Park in Berkeley.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Arthur Schaper debates with counter protesters at MLK Park.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)A man marching with a group organized by various clergy raises his fist inso lidarity with others fighting racism during a counter protest march.
(David Butow / For the Times)After learning that Trump supporters had been pushed from the park, two counter protesters embrace.
(David Butow / For the Times)A police officer dons his gas mask while Black Bloc protesters prepare to enter the park.
(David Butow / For the Times)Black Bloc and other Antifa protesters enter MLK Park after police left. The park had been sealed off to allow police to check for weapons at certain entry points as people entered the park but when the large group of Antifa arrived, they pulled out.
(David Butow / For the Times)A woman is led away by police.
(David Butow / For the Times)Marchers which was organized by a coalition of clergy groups head to MLK Park.
(David Butow / For the Times)Clergy members march to MLK Park. After a right wing rally was cancelled at Martin Luther King Park, various counter protesters converged from the UC Berkeley campus and other locations to the park.
(David Butow / f)Clergy members march to the MLK Park.
(David Butow / For the Times)Protesters gather at the edge of the UC Berkeley campus as they gather for a day of demonstrations.
(David Butow / For the Times)Donald Trump supporter and far-right activist Steve Solomon, left, argues his position with Johnny Benitez during a rally on Sunday in Berkeley.
(Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)Wearing riot gear, U.S. Park Police from Washington, D.C., assemble Saturday at Crissy Field in San Francisco.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Protesters who support President Trump, left, debate with a counter-protester Saturday at Crissy Field in San Francisco.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Joey Gibson, left, who organized the canceled “Patriot Prayer” rally, speaks to Dexter Thomas of Vice News on Saturday at Crissy Field in San Francisco.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Arthur Schaper, a pro-Trump protester, debates with a counter-protester Saturday at Crissy Field in San Francisco.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)A protester aligned with President Trump is escorted away after counter-protesters surround him at Crissy Field on Saturday in San Francisco.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Protesters rally Saturday at San Francisco’s Alamo Park, which has been closed off by the Police Department.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)People practice yoga near San Francisco City Hall to warm up for a rally against far-right groups on Saturday.
(David Butow / For The Times)Protesters with signs watch other demonstrators make their way to San Francisco City Hall for a counter-demonstration on Saturday.
(David Butow / Los Angeles Times)Protesters gather outside the fences of Alamo Square Park in San Francisco on Saturday.
(David Butow / For The Times)Protesters hand out flowers near Alamo Square Park in San Francisco on Saturday.
(David Butow / For The Times)A large crowd sits in the middle of Hayes Street during a rally outside Alamo Park in San Francisco.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Protesters against fascism gather outside Alamo Park in San Francisco while police close the park off Saturday.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times )Protesters against fascism gather outside Alamo Park in San Francisco.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times )Police close off Alamo Park, keeping counter-protesters from entering the area following the cancellation of a far-right rally.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times )Activists sing and hold a candlelight vigil during a “Light Up the Night” rally in San Francisco on Friday night. Organizers of right-wing rallies planned for this weekend in San Francisco and Berkeley have canceled the events.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Ian Oshaughnessy sings “We Are the World” with fellow activists during a “Light Up the Night” rally in San Francisco on Friday night.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)Activists sing during a candlelight “Light Up the Night” rally in advance of far-right rallies in San Francisco and Berkeley. Organizers have canceled the events, but city officials are still prepared for clashes between demonstrators and counter-protesters.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)A man holds a sign outside San Francisco City Hall on Friday at a rally in opposition to far-right events planned in the Bay Area this weekend. Organizers of the right-wing rallies canceled them.
(Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)Entertainer MC Hammer speaks at a rally in San Francisco on Friday against anticipated far-right demonstrations scheduled this weekend, which have been canceled.
(Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)A crowd gathers outside San Francisco City Hall to oppose far-right rallies that had been planned in the Bay Area this weekend.
(Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)Joanna Mendelson, senior investigative researcher with the Anti-Defamation League, watched footage of Sunday’s confrontations and said she drew a “sharp comparison” between the two weekend events. San Francisco provided a proud example of “a community response to objectionable speech,” she said in an email to The Times.
“Today’s story should have only been about the voices of tolerance overpowering those marred by bigotry,” she said. “Instead, any violent response, even if perpetrated by a small number, undermines their entire effort to counter the narrative.”
Others strongly disputed the idea that anti-fascist marchers were initiating violence. Kitty Stryker, a member of counter-protesters known as Struggalo Circus, said she provided medical aid to someone who had been pepper sprayed by a far-right activist.
Stryker said she broke up a fight between a Trump supporter and another demonstrator — and was almost punched in the face. And she argued that counter-protesters shut down the far-right demonstrations with overwhelming numbers, not violence.
“I think that has to do with having strong numbers and solidarity,” she added.
Berkeley has been home to a number of clashes between political opponents this year. Violent protests on the UC Berkeley campus shut down an appearance by Milo Yiannopoulos in February, and subsequent demonstrations in support of Trump collapsed into roving street fights.
In the days leading up to Sunday’s event, Berkeley officials had laid plans for stronger crowd control in the wake of a violent clashes between white supremacists and counter-protesters in Charlottesville, where demonstrators on each side complained of lax law enforcement.
Berkeley officials prohibited the carrying of weapons, sticks, projectiles and even soda cans in the demonstration area. Officer Jennifer Coats, spokeswoman for the Berkeley Police Department, said 500 officers were on the scene for Sunday’s demonstrations.
When protesters and counter-protesters arrived, they encountered a series of dump trucks lined up to form a barricade, an effort aimed at keeping a car from heading into a crowd. Marchers encountered concrete barriers at the park.
After the march, Berkeley resident Nancy Kerr said she viewed the protest as a success. Kerr, 33, said she was not afraid of the masked “black bloc” marchers, arguing that they had a “role to play in protecting protesters.”
Still, she and her husband, 34-year-old Kyle Sessions, expressed mixed feelings about some of the incidents that occurred.
“The violence worries me because it puts the police more on edge,” Sessions said. “They’re more likely to respond more forcefully with violence of their own.”
The violence raises the stakes for two upcoming visits to UC Berkeley by outspoken conservatives.
Milo Yiannopoulos has announced plans to return next month to spend days in a “tent city” in Berkeley’s Sproul Plaza. Conservative author and columnist Ben Shapiro is scheduled to visit Sept. 14.
On Monday, Berkeley police released the names of those who had been arrested.
Times staff writer Jazmine Ulloa contributed to this story.
Follow @JamesQueallyLAT @paigestjohn & @boreskes for news from the Bay Area protests this weekend.
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UPDATES:
1 p.m.: Updated with names of those arrested.
8 a.m. Monday: This article was updated with news about upcoming scheduled appearances by outspoken figures on the right at UC Berkeley.
8 p.m.: This article was updated with a new top and more details from demonstration.
6 p.m.: This article was updated with new comments from demonstrators.
4:20 p.m.: This article was updated with new comments from demonstrators.
3:10 p.m.: Updated with video showing violence.
2:30 p.m.: This article was updated with more details about violence, new lede.
1:50 p.m. This article was updated with new information from the scene.
1:35 p.m.: This article has been updated with more news from the scene.
1 p.m.: This article was updated with new information from police.
11:55 a.m.: This article was updated with additional comments from demonstrators.
12:55 p.m.: This article has been updated with new information about arrests.
11:30 a.m.: This article has been updated with more comments from demonstrators.
10:10 a.m.: This article has been updated with new details about the scene at a UC Berkeley park.
This article was originally posted at 9:40 a.m.
