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Twitter CEO Elon Musk slammed over 100 Antifa protesters as they smashed their way inside a talk by conservative star Charlie Kirk at the University of California Davis.
The black-clad goons clashed with law enforcement officers and other students as they hurled eggs and used pepper spray to block people from entering the building where Tuesday’s talk took place.
Kirk is the founder of young conservatives group Turning Point USA, and the event was organized by the school’s chapter – with protests ending in at least two people being arrested.
The right-wing event – which is touring the country with Kirk and fellow conservative star Candace Owens – saw one officer injured after being attacked by a protestor.
Musk responded to a tweet posted by Kirk showing an angry Antifa mob breaking through windows outside of the event venue, saying: ‘Not a peaceful protest at all.’
The black-clad goons clashed with law enforcement officers and other students as they hurled eggs and used pepper spray to block people from entering the building
Twitter CEO Elon Musk slammed over 100 Antifa protesters as they smashed their way inside a talk by conservative star Charlie Kirk at the University of California
Dozens of people responded to the Tesla CEO’s tweet by comparing the clash with the January 6 Capitol protest – adding that the movement was violent.
Members of the group had pushed to get the ‘fascists off campus’, with posts on social media urging the left-wing activists to bring ‘sings, water, face-masks and energy’ to the event on March 14.
In a statement, UC Davis said: ‘One officer sustained an injury when he was jumped on from behind and pushed to the ground, and two people were arrested and taken to Yolo County Jail for allegedly painting graffiti on an exterior wall of the University Credit Union Center, or UCUC, where the event was held.
‘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.
‘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 added that they had planned security ‘over several weeks’ to allow the students to successfully hold the event, and confirmed that Kirk spoke in front of an audience of about 500 people.
It added: ‘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.
‘Our campus’s Principles of Community affirm the right of freedom of expression within our community, including the right to protest speech we oppose.
Kirk is the founder of Turning Point USA, and the event was organized by the school’s chapter – with protests ending in at least two people being arrested
Kirk called the protesters ‘terrorists’ and shared footage of them smashing windows and trying to gain access to the building at UC Davis
Dozens of armed police officers surrounded the building, with Kirk previously subject to criticism at the university and around California
Members of the group had pushed to get the ‘fascists off campus’, with posts on social media urging the left-wing activists to bring ‘sings, water, face-masks and energy’ to the event on March 14
‘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.’
Photos outside the event show protestors covering their faces and hiding behind umbrellas as they held up signs saying ‘protect trans kids’ and ‘I love abortion’.
They also held up signs saying ‘School is for learning, not hate’, before throwing eggs and spraying those trying to access the event with pepper spray – but no physical injuries were reported.
The protesters also physically blocked a bike path and made entry more difficult for others.
At least one of the people 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, Chancellor of the University, Gary May called Kirk a ‘well-documented proponent of misinformation and hate, and who has advocated for violence against transgender individuals.’
The right-wing event – which is touring the country with Kirk and Candace Owens – ended with one officer injured after being attacked by a protestor
Photos outside the event show protestors covering their faces and hiding behind umbrellas as they held up signs saying ‘protect trans kids’ and ‘I love abortion’
He was keen to say that UC Davis ‘did not invite’ him to speak and did not ‘sponsor the event’ – before admitting that they could not ban registered student groups from hosting events with speakers.
Woke May added: ‘In short, while I abhor the inflammatory speech of this speaker, UC policy permits the student organization to invite the speaker.’
Dozens of armed police officers surrounded the building, with Kirk previously subject to criticism at the university and around California.
A previous event he was meant to attend at UC Davis was scrapped, with an opinion piece in the Sacramento Bee calling for the event on Tuesday to be canceled.
They claimed that Kirk called for the ‘lynching of trans people’ but have since deleted their tweet claiming this.
Kirk threatened to sue the outlet, denying that he called for such action, which edited the article and called him a ‘far-right leader’.
During the event, Kirk addressed the ‘terrorists outside’ and applauded security and his supporters for defying their attempts to shut down the event
An associate dean for diversity, equity, and inclusion at the California university, Tirien Steinbach (seen at left) held the ‘COVID, Guns and Twitter ‘ event at Stanford Law’s Federalist Society on Thursday, and tabbed Trump-appointed judge Kyle Duncan (at right) as a speaker
During the event, Kirk addressed the ‘terrorists outside’ and applauded security and his supporters for defying their attempts to shut down the event.
He added: ‘I don’t know if you saw, but they broke some windows, the terrorists did outside, people had things thrown at them.
‘We’re not going to put up with force of trying to shut down people you don’t like. Tonight is a statement to them that they’re the losers.’
It comes just days after Stanford University was forced to apologize to a Trump-appointed federal judge who had his talk hijacked by student protesters and a woke dean.
Stanford President Marc Tessier-Lavigne and Stanford Law School Dean Jenny Martinez wrote to US Circuit Judge Stuart Kyle Duncan on Saturday, two days after his event was ambushed and offered their ‘sincerest apologies’.
They called it ‘deeply uncivil behavior’ by ‘hypocrites,’ ‘idiots’ and ‘bullies’, adding: ‘What happened was inconsistent with our policies on free speech, and we are very sorry about the experience you had while visiting our campus.
A jurist with the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge Duncan was invited to speak by the dean at the Stanford Law’s Federalist Society last week, but was instead heckled by both the staffer and her students before being escorted off-site by US MarshalsÂ
In a statement over the weekend, Stanford apologized to the judge on the Steinbach’s behalf but did not mention the dean (pictured here) by name. She remains in her positionÂ
Apart from apology, the statement failed to address burgeoning backlash over the incident – including the aforementioned Stanford Review piece
‘We are very clear with our students that, given our commitment to free expression, if there are speakers they disagree with, they are welcome to exercise their right to protest but not to disrupt the proceedings.’
The letter also addressed the law school’s associate dean for diversity, equity and inclusion, Tirien Steinbach, who lectured beleaguered Duncan to stop his talk.
They said that her behavior was ‘ inappropriate’ and ‘not aligned 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 reference to some of his court’s biggest cases.
The protest was spearheaded by the campus group OutLaw, which accused Duncan of threatening the rights of LGBTQ people, immigrants, black voters and women.
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