Mayor of Berkeley Jesse Arreguin said Monday that it is time to classify Antifa as a gang, after peaceful demonstrators rallying in support of President Trump were attacked by more than 100 masked Antifa so-called activists.
A crowd that had marched peacefully throughout the day was gathered in Berkeley’s Martin Luther King Civic Center Park for their “Rally Against Hate.”
The demonstrators consistently disavowed white supremacists, Nazis, and racists, but Antifa members decided that they were fascists. The anarchist group, Antifa is aggressively anti-capitalist and believes violence is justified against any group of people they decide are fascist.
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The Washington Post reports:
Jumping over plastic and concrete barriers, the group melted into a larger crowd of around 2,000 that had marched peacefully throughout the sunny afternoon for a “Rally Against Hate” gathering.
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Shortly after, violence began to flare. A pepper-spray-wielding Trump supporter was smacked to the ground with homemade shields. Another was attacked by five black-clad antifa members, each windmilling kicks and punches into a man desperately trying to protect himself. A conservative group leader retreated for safety behind a line of riot police as marchers chucked water bottles, shot off pepper spray and screamed, “Fascist go home!”
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The viscous, unprovoked attacks by Antifa on the “Rally Against Hate” demonstrators prompted Mayor Arreguin to condemn Antifa as a gang.
CBS San Francisco reports:
“I think we should classify them as a gang,” said Arreguin. “They come dressed in uniforms. They have weapons, almost like a militia and I think we need to think about that in terms of our law enforcement approach.”
Arreguin said that while he does not support the far right, it was time to draw the line on the left as well, especially on the black-clad activists who showed up in force and took over both the protests and the park, and played a part in Sunday’s violent clashes.
“I think we are going to have to think ‘big picture’ about what is the strategy for how we are going to deal with these violent elements on the left as well,” said the mayor.
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The mayor said it was also time for the non-violent protesters to take a stand.
“We also need to hold accountable and encourage people not to associate with these extremists because it empowers them and gives them cover,” said Arreguin.
In spite of the Mayor’s condemnation, the attack’s organizers continue to defend Antifa. They claim the attack was justified because, in spite of all evidence to the contrary, “Rally Against Hate” was about white supremacy and fascism.
“White supremacists and fascists are not welcome. And if the state is not going to protect us — and if they do not — then we are going to protect ourselves and welcome those who stand with us,” said Sara Kershner of the National Lawyers Group.
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Mayor Arreguin believes that Antifa was trying to provoke police into responding aggressively for publicity.
It certainly is time to accept that Antifa is violent. They make up their own rules about who’s worthy of being attacked, and defend themselves by claiming they’re anti-fascist.
With any luck, more city leaders will finally denounce them as the thugs they are.
