Fights break out ahead of Turning Point USA event on UC Berkeley campus
Fights and altercations are breaking out at Zellerbach Hall on UC Berkeleys campus on Monday just as a Turning Point USA event got underway. KTVUs Crystal Bailey reports live from the scene where some detainments have been made at the event associated for the organization co-founded by the late Charlie Kirk.
BERKELEY, Calif. – Fights and altercations are breaking out Monday night at the University of California, Berkeley, just as Turning Point USA holds its final campus tour stop of the year.
KTVU’s Crystal Bailey is live at the scene where she reported some bloody skirmishes and that some have been detained ahead of the event. A Turning Point attendee as well as someone protesting the event were detained.Â
SkyFOX captured a depiction of violence when someone clad in all black pummeled someone in a red t-shirt on the sidewalk outside the event. Dozens remained in line in what our reporter described as a rowdy scene.Â
Event marks two months since founder’s death
What we know:
The event at Zellerbach Hall will also mark two months since Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was shot and killed in what authorities have described as a politically motivated attack during an appearance at Utah Valley University.
Heightened security
UC Berkeley officials said security will be tight for Monday’s event, with extra personnel on hand to ensure safety.
Turning Point USA is a nonprofit organization that promotes conservative values on high school and college campuses.
Monday’s event will feature comedian and filmmaker Rob Schneider and Christian author Frank Turek, who are appearing in place of Kirk, who had been scheduled to headline the tour.
University responds to planned protest
Local perspective:
UC Berkeley Assistant Vice Chancellor Dan Mogulof told Fox News Digital that the university is aware of the planned protest.
“The protest in question is being organized by a group that has no affiliation with the university,” Mogulof said. “It is not one of our 1,000+ Registered Student Organizations. The university has been absolutely clear: Our student organizations have every right to invite whoever they wish to events on campus. Together with our police force we will, as always, take whatever measures are deemed necessary to have a safe and successful event.”
Mogulof added that the protest appears to be organized by a group called Students Organizing for Liberation, which is not a registered student organization. However, some other groups listed on the protest flyer are recognized student groups and therefore subject to the campus Student Code of Conduct, he said.
The Source: Information for this story comes from the social media account of Students Organizing for Liberation at UC Berkeley, Fox News Digital, along with KTVU reporting.