Twitter CEO Elon Musk slammed over 100 Antifa protesters as they threw themselves into a lecture by conservative star Charlie Kirk at the University of California Davis.
The black-clad thugs clashed with police officers and other students as they hurled eggs and used pepper spray to prevent people from entering the building where Tuesday’s lecture was being held.
Kirk is the founder of the young conservative group Turning Point USA, and the event was organized by the school’s chapter – with protests that ended with the arrests of at least two people.
At the right-wing event, which is touring the country with Kirk and fellow Conservative leader Candace Owens, an official was injured after being attacked by a protester.
Responding to a tweet posted by Kirk that showed an angry Antifa mob breaking through windows outside the venue, Musk said, “Not a peaceful protest at all.”
The black-clad thugs clashed with police officers and other students as they hurled eggs and used pepper spray to prevent people from entering the building
Twitter CEO Elon Musk slapped over 100 Antifa protesters as they threw themselves into a lecture by conservative star Charlie Kirk at the University of California
Charlie Kirk calls the Sacramento Bee after saying he “promoted the lynching of trans people.”
“That’s a lie. I never did. I never thought so. pic.twitter.com/Ak0BHdFbpR
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) March 15, 2023
Dozens of people responded to the Tesla CEO’s tweet by comparing the clash to the January 6 Capitol protest – adding that the movement was violent.
Members of the group had been pushing to get the “fascists off campus,” with posts on social media urging left-wing activists to bring “sings, water, face masks and energy” to the March 14 event.
In a statement, UC Davis said, “One officer sustained an injury when he was jumped from behind and pushed to the ground, and two people were arrested and taken to the Yolo County Jail for allegedly painting graffiti on an outside wall of the university credit union.” Center or UCUC where the event took place.
“One of the detainees, not affiliated with UC Davis, was charged with vandalism and resisting arrest, and the other, who had not been identified, was charged with vandalism, resisting arrest and threatening a police officer.
“Protesters approached the north-east entrance and broke ten panes of glass in the doors, but failed to gain entry to the building and fled the area. No arrests were made in connection with the glass breaking.
The university added that it planned security “over several weeks” to allow students to successfully run the event, and confirmed Kirk was speaking to an audience of about 500 people.
It added: “As a public university, we must uphold the right to free speech as guaranteed by the First Amendment of the US Constitution, even when that speech may be hateful, abusive or offensive.”
“Our campus community policy affirms the right to free speech within our community, including the right to protest the opinion we oppose.
Kirk is the founder of Turning Point USA, and the event was organized by the school’s chapter – with protests that ended with the arrests of at least two people
Kirk called the protesters “terrorists” and shared footage of them smashing windows and trying to gain entry into the UC Davis building
Charlie Kirk:
“I don’t know if you saw it, but they broke some windows, the terrorists did it outside, things were thrown at people… We won’t stand to try force, people you don’t like, off… Tonight is a statement to them that they are the losers.” pic.twitter.com/GOvCfCugIx
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) March 15, 2023
Dozens of armed police surrounded the building, with Kirk previously facing criticism at the university and across California
Members of the group had been pushing to get the “fascists off campus,” with posts on social media urging left-wing activists to bring “sings, water, face masks and energy” to the March 14 event
“UC Davis is committed to supporting a campus environment that is inclusive and respectful of people of all backgrounds and dedicated to the pursuit of deeper understanding through the free and civil exchange of ideas.”
Photos outside the event show protesters covering their faces and hiding behind umbrellas while holding up signs reading “Protect trans children” and “I love abortion.”
They also held up signs that read “School is for learning, not hate” before throwing eggs and pepper spraying those trying to gain entry to the event – but no physical injuries were reported.
The protesters also physically blocked a bike lane, making it difficult for others to enter.
At least one of those arrested did not attend UC Davis and was “not affiliated with the school,” while a second has not been identified.
But hours before the incident, the university’s chancellor, Gary May, called Kirk a “well-documented advocate of misinformation and hatred who has championed violence against transgender people.”
The right-wing event – which is touring the country with Kirk and Candace Owens – ended with an officer injured after he was attacked by a protester
Photos outside the event show protesters covering their faces and hiding behind umbrellas while holding up signs reading “Protect trans children” and “I love abortion.”
He was keen to say that UC Davis “didn’t invite” him to speak and “didn’t sponsor the event” — before admitting they couldn’t ban registered student groups from hosting events with speakers.
Woke May added, “In short, while I detest this speaker’s inflammatory speech, UC policy allows the student organization to invite the speaker.”
Dozens of armed police surrounded the building, with Kirk previously facing criticism at the university and across California.
A previous event he was scheduled to attend at UC Davis was scrapped, and an opinion piece in the Sacramento Bee called for Tuesday’s event to be canceled.
They claimed Kirk called for the “lynching of trans people” but has since deleted their tweet claiming this.
Kirk threatened to sue the outlet and denied that he called for such action, which edited the article and labeled it a “far-right leader.”
During the event, Kirk addressed the “terrorists outside” and applauded security and his supporters for resisting their attempts to shut down the event
Tirien Steinbach (seen left), associate dean of diversity, justice and inclusion at the University of California, hosted the COVID, Guns and Twitter event at Stanford Law’s Federalist Society on Thursday and spoke with Trump-appointed Judge Kyle Duncan (at right) as narrator
During the event, Kirk addressed the “terrorists outside” and applauded security and his supporters for resisting their attempts to shut down the event.
He added: “I don’t know if you saw it, but they broke some windows, the terrorists did it outside, things were thrown at people.
“We will not bear to use force to silence people who do not like you. Tonight is a declaration for them that they are the losers.’
It comes just days after Stanford University was forced to apologize to a Trump-appointed federal judge whose lecture was hijacked by student protesters and a woke dean.
Stanford President Marc Tessier-Lavigne and Stanford Law School Dean Jenny Martinez wrote to US Judge Stuart Kyle Duncan on Saturday, two days after his event was raided, offering their “sincere apologies.” .
Calling it “deeply rude behavior” by “hypocrites”, “idiots” and “bullyers”, they added: “What happened went against our free speech policies and we deeply regret the experience you had at your visited our campus.
Judge Duncan, a jurist for the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, was invited to speak by the dean of the Stanford Law Federal Society last week but was instead harassed by both the staff member and her students before being escorted off-site by US marshals was escorted
In a statement over the weekend, Stanford apologized to the judge on Steinbach’s behalf, but did not mention the dean (pictured here) by name. She stays in her position
Aside from an apology, the statement didn’t address the burgeoning backlash to the incident — including the Stanford Review article referenced above
“We are very clear to our students that given our commitment to freedom of expression, if there are speakers they disagree with, they are welcome to use their right to protest, but not to disrupt the process.”
The letter was also addressed to Law School Associate Dean for Diversity, Justice and Inclusion Tirien Steinbach, who urged the harried Duncan to finish his lecture.
They said their behavior was “inappropriate” and “not consistent with the university’s commitment to free speech.”
His event, hosted by the Stanford chapter of the conservative Federalist Society, was titled “The Fifth Circuit in Conversation with the Supreme Court: Covid, Guns, and Twitter,” a nod to some of his court’s biggest cases.
The protest was led by campus group OutLaw, which accused Duncan of threatening the rights of LGBTQ people, immigrants, black voters and women.