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Antifa Violence Fails to Stop Packed Turning Point USA Event at UC Berkeley [WATCH]

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Turning Point USA concluded the rebranded “This Is Turning Point” tour Monday night with a sold-out program at Zellerbach Hall on the University of California, Berkeley, campus, despite [1] clashes between attendees and protesters that left at least one man bleeding and several people detained.

Comedian Rob Schneider and Christian apologist Dr. Frank Turek were the featured speakers at the event, which organizers said marks the final stop of the tour following the assassination of TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk at a campus event in Utah on Sept. 10.

Police and university officials reported a confrontation that began in the afternoon and escalated as crowds gathered near the hall.

The first major incident occurred at about 4:30 p.m. Pacific, when a physical altercation broke out outside the campus.

Witnesses saw two men fighting and one man with blood coming from his face.

Video circulating on social media showed protesters using flares and smoke devices; attendees and onlookers reported broken glass and projectiles thrown toward the entrance to the venue.

University police and Berkeley city officers made multiple arrests during the unrest, Berkeley authorities said.

Independent journalist Andy Ngo and another citizen journalist published posts alleging the unrest had been coordinated in advance through an offshoot of Antifa called By Any Means Necessary.

Organizers and some reporters said the group planned demonstrations weeks before the Berkeley date.

Turning Point USA staff and freelance journalists on scene described smoke bombs, flares and other devices used by protesters, along with vandalism and objects thrown at attendees.

Outside the hall, protesters chanted, hurled paint and bottles and attempted to block entrance pathways, according to multiple attendees and video footage.

Several people who attempted to enter said they were struck by thrown items.

Police cleared paths to the venue and escorted attendees to a security screening area before the program began.

Inside Zellerbach Hall, Schneider addressed the audience and criticized the university’s handling of the day’s events.

Schneider closed his remarks with a message directed at the campus, saying, “Shame on you, @UCBerkeley.”

Dr. Turek delivered remarks focused on free will, suffering, and moral questions, urging students to engage in civil debate and philosophical inquiry.

TPUSA representatives said university officials created obstacles for the event, including delayed approvals and restricted access routes that complicated security planning.

TPUSA president John Paul Leon, identified by the group on social media as @johnpaulleon27, was credited by organizers with moving the event forward despite what they described as administrative resistance.

A post circulating on X from a user identified as Rush captured the group’s account of the evening and praised organizers’ response: “Through all of it, @TPUSA president, @johnpaulleon27, stayed calm and professional. He pushed through bureaucratic resistance and delivered a strong speech, even when the university administration made it as difficult as possible until minutes before. Tonight proved something simple: You don’t have to agree with us. You don’t have to like what we say. But shutting down speech, blocking access, attacking attendees, and using this kind of “power” to silence students is not democracy. It’s censorship with a smile. We showed up. We stood firm. We exercised the First Amendment in a place that claims to celebrate free expression. The irony writes itself.”

Turning Point USA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet issued a statement after the event asserting the group’s position on the confrontation and the broader fight over campus speech.

Kolvet said, “We must win, they must lose.”

Organizers described the Berkeley appearance as a success, pointing to the full house at Zellerbach Hall and the completion of the program despite the disturbances.

University officials confirmed several arrests and said they are reviewing footage from the incident as they investigate claims of coordinated violence.

Officials also said they are assessing whether any campus code or local laws were violated and will release additional details when available.

The Berkeley stop follows years of contention over conservative speakers on campus, including notable incidents in 2017 when events drew large protests and, in some cases, cancellation.

Turning Point USA and other conservative groups say similar opposition persists on campuses nationwide and have cited increased security concerns for events featuring prominent conservative voices.

Local law enforcement urged calm and warned that additional enforcement actions could follow if further violence or property damage is reported.

Meanwhile, organizers said they plan to continue hosting events and to defend the right to speak on college campuses.