BERKELEY, Calif. — The Department of Justice has opened an investigation following protests and arrests outside a Turning Point USA event at the University of California, Berkeley, where demonstrators clashed with police during the group’s final stop on its college tour. The Trump administration described the unrest as part of a “pattern” of universities failing to protect conservative speakers.
According to Berkeley police, three people were arrested after fights broke out, with protesters chanting anti-Trump slogans and referencing Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk, who was recently assassinated. UC Berkeley condemned “violence or intimidation to prevent lawful expression,” saying the event itself proceeded uninterrupted with about 900 attendees.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division would conduct a “deep dive” into both criminal and civil aspects of the protest, citing Berkeley’s history of similar incidents. Free speech advocates, including the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, warned that federal investigations must distinguish between criminal acts and constitutionally protected protest.
ACLU attorney Chessie Thacher said the DOJ’s involvement “strikes at the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement” and risks chilling dissent on campuses nationwide.
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