The U.S. Department of Education launched its own investigation today into November’s Turning Point USA, or TPUSA, event at UC Berkeley following the Department of Justice investigation opened earlier this month.
The Department of Education announced it would review whether UC Berkeley violated the Clery Act. Enacted in 1990, the law requires universities to meet campus crime, safety and security-related requirements on the condition of receiving federal student aid, according to a press release posted today.
The Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid has requested that UC Berkeley submit relevant information within 30 days, including copies of crime logs, arrests made by UCPD and other state and local law enforcement agencies, lists of WarnMe alerts and documentation of security arrangements for the event.
“Just two months after Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was brutally assassinated on a college campus, UC Berkeley allowed a protest of a Turning Point USA event on its grounds to turn unruly and violent, jeopardizing the safety of its students and staff,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon in the press release.
The investigation comes after a turbulent night of protests and arrests outside a TPUSA event at Zellerbach Hall that saw two individuals arrested by city police following a violent altercation, as well as two arrests by UCPD.
One individual was hit and injured by a glass jar, while a 25-year-old man from Oakland was arrested after stealing a chain from an individual selling shirts outside the event and a subsequent fight, according to campus spokesperson Dan Mogulof.
Reporters and photographers with The Daily Californian documented at least five individuals detained by law enforcement. The majority of the approximately 300 demonstrators protesting the event throughout the day were nonviolent.
In the days following the event, violent scenes from the demonstration that circulated online prompted the DOJ, FBI and campus to announce plans to investigate “outside agitators” at the event.
“UC Berkeley has an unwavering commitment to abide by the laws, rules and policies that are applicable to the university. As a public institution subject to state and federal oversight, the University will continue to cooperate with governmental inquiries and investigations,” Mogulof said in a statement.
As part of the DOJ investigation, U.S. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon visited campus two weeks ago and met with FBI and US attorney colleagues, as well as “witnesses (to the) Antifa violence (at UC Berkeley) Monday.” Dhillon added that she is working with U.S. Attorney Craig Missakian and his civil, criminal and national security teams on the investigation.
UC Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons confirmed earlier this month that UCPD is conducting its own investigation and cooperating with federal officials, but maintains that an estimated 900 attendees were able to engage in civil dialogue without disruption.
It is currently unclear if the DOJ will investigate the TPUSA protest as part of its other ongoing investigations into UC Berkeley and the UC system, or if the incident warrants additional investigations for alleged violations of the First and Fourth Amendments, according to a letter from Dhillon addressed to the UC Board of Regents posted on X.
Dhillon said she has also discussed the incident with President Donald Trump and U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi — who said on X that the DOJ will “spare no expense unmasking all who commit and orchestrate acts of political violence.”
“We will continue to evaluate our policies and practices to ensure that open dialogue, the First Amendment, and the rule of law continue to be upheld on our campus,” Mogulof said.
Emily Hamill, Cam Lippincott and Litong Deng contributed to this report.