Executive Summary
- The Department of Justice, via the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, is investigating protests at a Turning Point USA event at UC Berkeley.
- Attorney General Pam Bondi labeled the events “violent riots” and connected the investigation to President Trump’s executive order against antifa.
- Four individuals were arrested by city and campus police, and one event attendee was hospitalized after being struck by a bottle.
- UC Berkeley is conducting its own investigation and has pledged to cooperate fully with federal authorities.
The U.S. Department of Justice has launched an investigation into protests that occurred outside a Turning Point USA event at the University of California, Berkeley, on Monday evening. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Tuesday that the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is examining the events, which she described as “violent riots” and linked to President Donald Trump’s broader initiative targeting the antifa movement.
During the sold-out event, dozens of protestors gathered on the university campus. While reports indicate many were peaceful, scuffles broke out between some demonstrators and police. According to CBS News Bay Area, smoke bombs were deployed at one point during the confrontation. The Berkeley Police Department stated that two men were arrested on suspicion of fighting in public, though one was later released. University of California campus police also arrested two other individuals for failing to comply with directions. Officials confirmed one of the individuals was a current student.
One 45-year-old man who was attending the Turning Point USA event was reportedly struck by a glass bottle and required transportation to a hospital for his injuries.
Official Responses and Broader Context
In a statement, UC Berkeley affirmed it is conducting its own full investigation and will cooperate with federal authorities to identify what it termed “outside agitators responsible for attempting to disrupt last night’s TPUSA event.” The university added, “There is no place at UC Berkeley for attempts to use violence or intimidation to prevent lawful expression or chill free speech.” This follows a history of protests against conservative speakers on the campus, including the cancellation of a 2017 event with Milo Yiannopoulos due to property damage and safety concerns.
Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, confirmed on social media that her division would investigate “several issues of serious concern regarding campus and the local security.” Attorney General Bondi’s announcement directly referenced antifa, stating, “Antifa is an existential threat to our nation.” This aligns with an executive order signed by President Trump in September, which designated antifa as a “domestic terrorist organization” and authorized federal agencies to investigate and disrupt its activities.
The term antifa, an abbreviation for anti-fascist, generally describes a decentralized movement of far-left and anarchist individuals. The Congressional Research Service has characterized it as lacking a unified structure or ideology. The Justice Department recently brought charges against two men in Texas, alleging they provided material support to antifa in connection with an attack on an ICE facility.
The federal investigation into the Berkeley protests is now underway, with officials focusing on potential violations related to civil rights and domestic terrorism. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.