This weekend, two rallies -- one in San Francisco and one in Berkeley -- were expected to draw white supremacists to the Bay Area, but things didn't turn out quite how some people expected. San Francisco's demonstration turned into an anti-hate dance party. Berkeley's demonstrations... didn't.
Clouds of tear gas over crowds at #BerkeleyProtest. Here's the scene from Allston and McKinney pic.twitter.com/UN9ULRTzdG
— youthradio (@youthradio) August 27, 2017
Thousands of people showed up to Berkeley on Sunday to protest -- not all of them peacefully. As the afternoon wore on, violence broke out with police deploying what appeared to be tear gas on some sections of the crowd. As of 4 p.m. we're hearing there have been around ten people arrested. But lets back up.
Members of the Bay Area Rally Against Hate holding a wall at Oxford and Addison. #Berkeley pic.twitter.com/drt3dps9R1
— youthradio (@youthradio) August 27, 2017
The day started out peacefully enough, with clashes between pro-Trump supporters and anti-hate counter protesters still resembling discussions. Police barricades at Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park, across the street from Berkeley High School, helped officers screen attendees for weapons and other banned items.
President Trump supporter made his way to Berkeley from LA County in the name of free speech. pic.twitter.com/ytsDiuft7w
— youthradio (@youthradio) August 27, 2017
Full body pat-downs and bag checks happening at all MLK Park checkpoints to enter #Berkeley #protest pic.twitter.com/pqzsli5geb
— Jessica Christian (@jachristian) August 27, 2017
There were a few minor scuffles early on, but police officers or non-violent protesters quickly stepped in to intervene.
This man was asked to leave for being involved in an altercation #BPD #Berkeley #MLKPark pic.twitter.com/t3LpV74vXz
— youthradio (@youthradio) August 27, 2017
People shout "No violence" as protestors and counter protestors push each other #Berkeley #MLKPark pic.twitter.com/STrJ5fx1HT
— youthradio (@youthradio) August 27, 2017
Even early on, anti-hate counter protesters greatly outnumbered the small groups of original demonstrators. Many demonstrators in pro-Trump gear were escorted out of the park as people around them chanted, "Go Home, Nazis."
"Our strategy is to directly confront white supremacists until they leave. And so far it's been very successful."-Richard Alejandro Alvarado pic.twitter.com/nUK3eWuHtF
— youthradio (@youthradio) August 27, 2017
Free speech rally protestors being escorted out by #berkeley police #MLKPark #BerkeleyProtest pic.twitter.com/YbAY9pguT2
— youthradio (@youthradio) August 27, 2017
Trump supporters now boxed in at #MLK park in #Berkeley pic.twitter.com/7Z6SpxJEYw
— youthradio (@youthradio) August 27, 2017
Outside the park, a separate group of counter protesters in black began to amass around noon. Police officers detained several people wearing masks, as crowds grew.
Huge crowds on both east and west sides of #MLKPark at #BerkeleyProtest. Heavier AntiFa presence on the west side pic.twitter.com/w0R4ga2kPR
— youthradio (@youthradio) August 27, 2017
Woman arrested with her service dog at #mlkpark in #Berkeley. Service dogs are allowed but masks are not #BerkeleyProtest #bpd pic.twitter.com/VCoi5M9Pvs
— youthradio (@youthradio) August 27, 2017
Trump supporter being called nazi and told to go home. Some ppl are telling him to go over the barrier or yelling "Let AntiFa deal with him" pic.twitter.com/Zb5qT96q33
— youthradio (@youthradio) August 27, 2017
#Berkeley police have their gas masks on pic.twitter.com/ksd5Vt9XQ4
— youthradio (@youthradio) August 27, 2017
Around 1:30 p.m. a group of protesters broke through the barricades and made their way into the park. Police deployed what appeared to be tear gas in an effort to disperse the crowd. The scene became more chaotic from there.
Black bloc is here #Berkeley #MLKPark pic.twitter.com/AGPbsBFfiI
— youthradio (@youthradio) August 27, 2017
Trump supporter chased out and beaten after pepper spraying people. pic.twitter.com/KCI2XbT7e7
— Shane Bauer (@shane_bauer) August 27, 2017
Police aiming tear gas at antifa crowd after fight breaks out outside #Berkeley MLK park pic.twitter.com/XetlMBMX9x
— Jessica Christian (@jachristian) August 27, 2017
Everyone is running down Allston Street. #berkeley pic.twitter.com/IYsPgqUJN4
— Lizzie Johnson (@lizziejohnsonnn) August 27, 2017
"Take his camera, take his phone," they are shouting at a journalist. #berkeley pic.twitter.com/hvsQ5eXalE
— Lizzie Johnson (@lizziejohnsonnn) August 27, 2017
So how did we get here again? Youth Radio reporter Pablo De La Hoya, who was on the ground during the protests breaks it down:
Wondering how the #BerkeleyProtest went from calm to chaotic? Reporter @pablodelahoya8 breaks down the day pic.twitter.com/u9NN0FHbKF
— youthradio (@youthradio) August 27, 2017
On the scene reporting by Youth Radio reporters Sayre Quevedo,Pablo De La Hoya, and Haldun Morgan.