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Videos Show Antifa Rioting Outside Charlie Kirk Event At California University, One Officer Hurt

Sandy MaloneMarch 15, 2023

Davis, CA – Videos show that windows were smashed and at least one police officer was injured by rioters protesting the appearance of conservative Turning Point CEO Charlie Kirk at University of California – Davis on Tuesday afternoon.

Black-clad antifa protesters clashed with law enforcement officers and students who were trying to attend the planned event on March 14 at the University Credit Union Center, the Daily Mail reported.

Kirk is traveling the country speaking on college campuses with fellow conservative Candace Owens.

Ahead of their appearance at UC-Davis, social media posts had encouraged activists to show up and protest to get the “fascists off campus,” the Daily Mail reported.

And just hours before the event began, UC-Davis Chancellor Gary May called Kirk a “well-documented proponent of misinformation and hate, and who has advocated for violence against transgender individuals” and said he hadn’t been invited to speak, nor had he been sponsored by the school.

UC-Davis said it had planned security for the event – which had more than 500 attendees – for weeks beforehand, the Daily Mail reported.

“As a public university, we must uphold the right to free speech, as guaranteed under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, even when that speech may be hateful, offensive or abusive,” the university wrote in a statement. “Our campus’s Principles of Community affirm the right of freedom of expression within our community, including the right to protest speech we oppose.”

“UC Davis is committed to supporting a campus environment that is inclusive and respectful to people of all backgrounds and dedicated to the pursuit of deeper understanding through the free and civil exchange of ideas,” the statement read.

Dozens of police officers were on hand to provide security to the speakers and those in attendance, the Daily Mail reported.

But that didn’t deter the riot that erupted out front and which keynote Kirk blamed on the Sacramento Bee for whipping up by erroneously claiming that the Turning Point founder has “called for the lynching of trans people.”

“That is a lie. I have never done that. I have never thought that. There is zero evidence of that… I’ve always been clear about peaceful activism,” he told the audience.

Protesters outside the event covered their faces and hid behind umbrellas as they hurled eggs and other projectiles at officers and other students making their way into the event, the Daily Mail reported.

They held signs that read “I love abortion” and “School Is for Learning Not Hate” and then groups of them rushed the doors using pepper-spray to clear their way.

More chaos erupted when protesters tried to get into the building.

Videos showed rioters with shields smashed through glass windows and initially pushed police back.

“Protesters approached the northeast entrance and broke ten glass panes in the doors but did not gain access to the building and left the area. No arrests were made related to the breaking of the glass,” the university said.

UC – Davis said a police officer was injured when a protester jumped him from behind and pushed him to the ground, the Daily Mail reported.

Two rioters were arrested and booked into the Yolo County Jail for allegedly painting graffiti on an exterior wall of the University Credit Union Center, the Daily Mail reported.

“One of those taken into custody, who is not affiliated with UC Davis, was charged with misdemeanor vandalism and resisting arrest, and the other, who had not been identified, was charged with vandalism, resisting arrest and threats on a police officer,” the university said in its statement.

However, the school denied reports that rioters had actually successfully entered the building, the Daily Mail reported.

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Sandy Malone

Managing Editor - Twitter/@SandyMalone_ - Prior to joining The Police Tribune, Sandy wrote the Politics.Net column for the Wall Street Journal and was managing editor of Campaigns & Elections magazine. More recently, she was an internationally-syndicated columnist for Conde Nast (BRIDES), The Huffington Post, and Monsters and Critics. Sandy is married to a retired police captain and former SWAT commander.

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