Masked anarchists violently rout right-wing demonstrators in Berkeley

❝❝An army of anarchists in black clothing and masks routed a small group of right-wing demonstrators who had gathered in a Berkeley park Sunday to rail against the city’s famed progressive politics, driving them out — sometimes violently — while overwhelming a huge contingent of police officers.

Hundreds of officers tried to maintain calm in and around Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park before the 1 p.m. “No to Marxism in Berkeley” rally, putting up barricades, searching bags and confiscating sticks, masks, pepper spray and even water bottles. The goal was to head off the type of clashes that sprang from similar rallies in the city earlier this year.

An anarchist holds a smoke bomb after the police retreat during a protest at Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center park in Berkeley, Calif., on Sunday, August 27th,

But once again, counterdemonstrators frustrated efforts by police, who numbered about 400. As the crowd swelled to several times that size, officers stepped aside and allowed hundreds of people angered by the presence of the right-wing rally to climb over the barriers into the park, said Officer Jennifer Coats, a spokeswoman for Berkeley police.

The masked counterprotesters, often referred to as antifa or antifascists, significantly outnumbered the people who had come for the rally, many of whom wore red clothing indicating support for President Trump. The anarchists chased away the right-wingers, and in one case four or five pummeled a man with fists and sticks before a radio host for Reveal, Al Letson, jumped in to shield the victim. Anarchists also attacked reporters who documented their actions.

By the time the confrontations wound down in midafternoon, police had arrested 13 people, including one for assault with a deadly weapon, Coats said. Most were accused of bringing banned items into the park. Six people reported non-life-threatening injuries, Coats said, including two taken to hospitals.❞❞
     — Lizzie Johnson, Erin Allday, Michael Cabanatuan and Nanette Asimov

Anarchy in Berkeley: A hundred black-clad antifascists with 'no hate' signs storm rally, pepper spray leader of conservative Patriot Prayer group and clash with cops

❝❝Violence has broken out between left- and right-wing protesters, after more than 100 black-clad masked antifa broke through police barricades at a 'Rally Against Hate' and assaulted at least four, including the leader of a pro-Trump conservative group.

At least ten arrests were made on Sunday in Berkeley, California after the left-wing 'Rally Against Hate' confronted a handful of right-wing protesters at a 'No To Marxism In America' rally. Antifa is short for 'anti-fascists'.

The arrest charges in the skirmishes at Civic Center Park were various but included assault and violating a prohibition on wearing masks, KCRA reported.

Several thousand joined in the left-wing 'Rally Against Hate', intended as a counter-protest to the right-wing 'No To Marxism In America Event', which was officially cancelled after organizers said they had concerns of violence.

A handful of people wearing shirts and signs in support of President Donald Trump did turn up, however, and were quickly surrounded by the 'Rally Against Hate' marchers. Several Trump supporters sought police escorts out of the area.❞❞
     — Keith Griffith

❝❝It just dawned on me. In the many, many, MANY discussions I've had in the last month concerning the historical context of violence about why BLM's racism and violence aren't nearly as bad as the neo-Nazis and white supremacists, not one single person said anything in defense of antifa or the black bloc.❞❞
     — NeoWayland

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