The nation’s top civil rights attorney arrived at the UC Berkeley campus Thursday to announce the federal investigation into Monday’s protest, which is now a top priority for the Trump administration.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon says the protest that took place outside of Turning Point USA’s Monday night event at UC Berkeley went well beyond free speech.
Cameras caught a handful of tense moments during the nearly five-hour protest, but the administration says it went beyond what could be seen.
That’s what prompted the DOJ to launch a federal investigation and prompted Dhillon to personally travel to the campus to gather information and meet with officials from the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
“This is a top priority. This incident that occurred here for the Department of Justice and the Trump administration,” said Dhillon.
Dhillon claims the group that helped organize the protest, By Any Means Necessary or BAMN, is an antifa organization.
President Trump signed an executive order in September declaring the antifa movement a “terrorist organization”
“We’re deeply concerned about persistent, antifa, violence, that we’ve seen here in the City of Berkeley and on the Berkeley campus over the years,” Dhillon said.
“We’re here to send a very strong message. There’s no place in this country where the values of the first amendment and free speech are more important than on our college campuses. And what happened here at the turning point USA event is unacceptable,” said Craig Missakian, U.S. Attorney.
The U.S. Attorney and acting special agent from the FBI’s San Francisco office says they’re determined to hold those responsible accountable.
As part of the investigation, the FBI has launched a digital tip line.
A spokesperson for BAMN says he’s not surprised by the DOJ response. He says the protest was peaceful and a big success.
“Trump has a history of calling anyone that comes out in defense of a fight against racism as antifa and attempting to throw the book at them,” said Mark Airgood with BAMN.
However, protesters aren’t the only focus.
Dhillon has sent a letter to the university instructing them to preserve all records about the preparation, execution and school response to the Turning Point event.
“Now the only question is who were the perpetrators involved who helped them who supported them financially and what other forces were involved in that we’re going to get to the bottom of all of that,” Dhillon said.
In a statement, UC Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons said, “UC Berkeley is committed to continuing to host speakers and events representing a variety of viewpoints in a safe and respectful manner.”
He says UCPD is conducting its own investigation and cooperating with federal officials.
Source: NBC Bay Area
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