(The Center Square) — Following a sometimes violent protest at University of California, Berkeley Monday night, school officials said they would cooperate with a federal investigation into altercations at the demonstration.
The statement, released via email in response to The Center Square’s questions, said the university was cooperating with a federal investigation into the disruptions caused by agitators who the Trump administration deemed Antifa at the protest.
“The University is conducting a full investigation and intends to fully cooperate with and assist any federal investigations and the FBI-led Joint Terrorism Task Force to identify the outside agitators responsible for attempting to disrupt last night’s TPUSA event,” the statement said.
The demonstration was organized by Turning Point USA, founded by late conservative activist Charlie Kirk, according to multiple media reports. Kirk was assassinated at Utah Valley University during a speaking engagement in September, The Center Square previously reported.
UC Berkeley was the last stop on a national tour that Turning Point USA organizers planned after Kirk’s death.
Multiple confrontations broke out at the demonstration, according to USA Today. At least one confrontation broke out during the Turning Point USA event, and CBS reported that someone threw a smoke bomb into the crowd. Because of the conflict, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday that it would launch an investigation into what U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi called “violent riots” caused by Antifa protestors.
“We will continue to spare no expense unmasking all who commit and orchestrate acts of political violence,” Bondi wrote on X, formerly Twitter, Tuesday. “Under President Trump’s leadership, and pursuant to his Executive Order designating Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization, the Department of Justice and our law-enforcement partners are dismantling violent networks that seek to intimidate Americans and suppress their free expression and First Amendment rights.”
Bondi’s reference to the anti-Turning Point USA agitators as Antifa, or anti-fascist, protestors follows President Donald Trump’s statement he would designate Antifa as a terrorist organization in response to The Center Square’s question during a White House press conference. Trump later officially designated Antifa a terrorist organization.
According to a Center Square Voters Voice Poll, 49% of American voters support designating Antifa a terrorist organization, compared to 30% of American voters who do not. Approximately 21% remain unsure.
In the statement UC Berkeley officials released Wednesday, they also said that the university condemns violence of any kind and that anyone who violates either the law or campus regulations will be held accountable.
“The University is firmly committed to an open and robust marketplace of ideas and to maintaining a campus where people of all beliefs and perspectives can feel safe and respected,” the statement read. “There is no place at UC Berkeley for attempts to use violence or intimidation to prevent lawful expression or chill free speech.”
The statement did not address questions The Center Square asked via email about whether the university will change policies related to campus protests or demonstrations as a result of the Turning Point USA event. It also did not address questions about if the university could potentially lose funding.
The Berkeley Police Department, which responded to an altercation officers observed during the Turning Point USA event on campus, confirmed via email to The Center Square Wednesday that they arrested two men who were seen fighting at the demonstration. The BPD confirmed via email that one of the men stole a chain necklace from the other man in the altercation, and they released the man the necklace had been stolen from.
The demonstration comes at a time when Americans are concerned that political violence is on the rise. Another Center Square Voters Voice Poll showed that 82% of registered voters are concerned about political violence in the aftermath of Kirk’s assassination.
The U.S. Department of Justice did not respond to requests for comment by press time on Wednesday. Turning Point USA also did not respond to The Center Square’s questions.
