By Douglas V. Gibbs
Author, Speaker, Instructor, Radio Host
FIRE OVER MILO AT BERKELEY...
The University of California at Berkeley is well known for its hard left history. Milo Yiannopoulos, a gay conservative and Breitbart News editor was supposed to deliver a talk, and after the protests turned fiery and violent Wednesday night, police to canceled the event and hustled Milo off campus.
After the event’s cancellation the unhinged liberal left protesters went into violent riot mode, leaving campus and terrorizing the city streets. The violence increased as the demonstrators confronted drivers, engaged in fights, smashed storefront windows and set fires.
The anti-Trump hysteria continued to worsen into the night.
Armed with bricks and fireworks, the rioters at Berkeley mounted an assault on the building scheduled to host Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos.
Several injuries have been reported and at least four banks have been vandalized. The activities by the rioting snowflakes has not only been a sign of the liberal left's intolerance, but a message confirming for Trump voters why they want nothing to do with the unhinged leftists of the Democrat Party.
UC Berkeley officials said the protest was infiltrated by vandals, but I believe the protesters became vandals, and in many cases were opportunists hoping the demonstration would turn destructive..
Yiannopoulos was making the last stop of a tour aimed at defying what he calls an epidemic of political correctness on college campuses.
Many of the protesters were masked (ashamed?) and as the night wore on the agitators became more agitated, with masked “black bloc” activists eventually hurling projectiles including bricks, lit fireworks and rocks at the building and police.
Some used police barriers as battering rams to attack the doors of the venue, breaching at least one of the doors and entering the venue on the first floor.
In addition to fireworks being thrown up onto the second-floor balcony, fires were lit outside the venue, including one that engulfed a gas-powered portable floodlight.
The area on Upper Sproul Plaza grew thick with smoke, and later tear gas, as the protest intensified.
Police, after announcing the event was cancelled, threatened to lock down the entire campus.
Shortly before 6:30 p.m., Yiannopoulos posted on his Facebook page that he was safe.
“I have been evacuated from the UC Berkeley campus after violent left-wing protestors tore down barricades, lit fires, threw rocks and Roman candles at the windows and breached the ground floor of the building,” the post read. “My team and I are safe. But the event has been cancelled.”
UC Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof said earlier Wednesday that the university Police Department called in officers from other UC campuses in the area, including Davis, and could ask for help from Oakland police and the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office if necessary.
He said that they have studied how the protests have escalated at other campuses and planned accordingly.
“The concerted effort was to really take a close look at lessons learned at other events,” Mogulof said.
Several student groups had called for protests and pledged to shut down the evening event. Remember, these are people who claim they are tolerant. They believe you only have a right to free speech if you agree with them. All opposition, apparently, must be violently silenced.
“I have been evacuated from the UC Berkeley campus after violent left-wing protestors tore down barricades, lit fires, threw rocks and Roman candles at the windows and breached the ground floor of the building,” the post read. “My team and I are safe. But the event has been cancelled.”
UC Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof said earlier Wednesday that the university Police Department called in officers from other UC campuses in the area, including Davis, and could ask for help from Oakland police and the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office if necessary.
He said that they have studied how the protests have escalated at other campuses and planned accordingly.
“The concerted effort was to really take a close look at lessons learned at other events,” Mogulof said.
Several student groups had called for protests and pledged to shut down the evening event. Remember, these are people who claim they are tolerant. They believe you only have a right to free speech if you agree with them. All opposition, apparently, must be violently silenced.
A number of Yiannopoulos’ talks at other campuses have been canceled due to protests or security reasons, as well.
Yiannopoulos' visit to Berkeley was sponsored by the campus Republican club (I am surprised that such a club exists on that campus). The university has stressed it did not invite Yiannopoulos and does not endorse his ideas but is committed to free speech and rejected calls to cancel the event.
Earlier Wednesday, the university sent a notice to all students that warned of crowds near the student union, where the 500-seat, sold-out event was scheduled.
“We anticipate there will be major protest/demonstration activity leading up to and surrounding this event,” the letter from school officials said. It did not discourage protests but advised those who didn’t wish to participate to avoid the area.
Berkeley police has stated that three or four injuries were reported as a result of fighting at the protest, and they are investigating reports of a possible hit-and-run crash in which a driver may have struck a person with a vehicle.
Shouting "Shut It Down," protesters at the University of California at Berkeley removed barricades, toppled a light pole, and threw projectiles -- including fences and firebombs -- at the building where a speech by gay conservative Milo Yiannopoulos was to be held.
Yiannopoulos' visit to Berkeley was sponsored by the campus Republican club (I am surprised that such a club exists on that campus). The university has stressed it did not invite Yiannopoulos and does not endorse his ideas but is committed to free speech and rejected calls to cancel the event.
Earlier Wednesday, the university sent a notice to all students that warned of crowds near the student union, where the 500-seat, sold-out event was scheduled.
“We anticipate there will be major protest/demonstration activity leading up to and surrounding this event,” the letter from school officials said. It did not discourage protests but advised those who didn’t wish to participate to avoid the area.
Berkeley police has stated that three or four injuries were reported as a result of fighting at the protest, and they are investigating reports of a possible hit-and-run crash in which a driver may have struck a person with a vehicle.
Shouting "Shut It Down," protesters at the University of California at Berkeley removed barricades, toppled a light pole, and threw projectiles -- including fences and firebombs -- at the building where a speech by gay conservative Milo Yiannopoulos was to be held.
-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary
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