The UC Police Department is asking the community for help with its investigation into the Feb. 1 protest on campus triggered by the slated appearance of far-right provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos.
The protest, which began peacefully, turned violent when it was disrupted by 100-150 mostly black-clad agitators. An estimated $600,000 worth of damage was done on campus and in downtown Berkeley, and several people sustained injuries.
In an alert sent out Friday morning, UCPD published photos of 21 individual protesters it believes are suspects, as well as four photos of groups of people (view photos). It is asking that the community help identify them, and also share with the department any photos or videos that show recognizable people committing crimes on Cal property.
Only one person was arrested that night — a 19-year-old man who failed to leave the area of the protests despite repeated dispersal orders. UCPD said it is working closely with the Berkeley Police to hold responsible “those persons who committed serious acts of violence and vandalism.”
The Berkeley College Republicans invited Yiannopoulos, a senior editor at far-right website Breitbart, to speak at Cal on Feb. 1, as part of his Dangerous Faggot tour of college campuses nationwide, which many view as an effort simply to sow discord. More than 1,000 people turned out to protest his appearance. Then 100-150 people, mostly dressed in black and many wearing bandanas or ski masks over their faces, stormed Sproul Plaza and, according to UC Berkeley officials, hurled fireworks, rocks, and Molotov cocktails at police. UC Berkeley officials cancelled Yiannopoulos’ appearance at around 6 p.m.
Cal said the agitators caused $100,000 in damage to the MLK Student Union building, and according to the Downtown Berkeley Association, there was an estimated $400,000-$500,000 worth of damage to downtown Berkeley. The FBI is in communication with both UCPD and BPD about the protests. (Read our interviews with UCPD and BPD about their approach to handling the protest.)
UCPD is asking that members of the community who have information relating to its protest investigation call 510-642-6760, go in person to UCPD’s office at 1 Cross-Sproul Path, or email police@berkeley.edu. People can also submit information anonymously via cal@tipnow.com or by calling 510-664-8477.
