Four University of California, Berkeley students face felony vandalism charges following a protest against an event organized by Turning Point USA (TPUSA). The arrests occurred early on Monday morning as the students attempted to hang a large cardboard insect from Sather Gate.
Details of the Arrests
The University of California Police Department (UCPD) reported that the students were apprehended while attempting this act of protest. Three of the individuals are believed to be undergraduates. They have since been booked at Santa Rita County Jail, with bail set at $20,000 for three students and $10,000 for the fourth.
Charges and Legal Proceedings
Initial charges cited by UCPD include felony vandalism under Penal Code §594(b)(1). However, booking records reference a broader categorization under code §594(a)(1), which addresses property defacement through graffiti or similar materials. In California, felony vandalism applies when property damage exceeds $400.
The Alameda County District Attorney has not formally charged the students yet. Their arraignment hearing is scheduled for Thursday at 9 a.m. at Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse in Oakland.
The Protest and Its Context
The demonstration was aimed at a controversial TPUSA event, set to take place later the same day at 6:30 p.m. in Zellerbach Hall. This event, which has already sold out, is expected to attract significant opposition. Protest posters displayed inflammatory quotes attributed to TPUSA’s founder, Charlie Kirk, who was previously killed near a college campus.
- One poster quoted Kirk stating, “Black women do not have the brain processing power to be taken seriously.”
- Another sign proclaimed, “Hate is NOT welcome on our campus!”
- Demonstrators also wrote, “Trans rights! You can erase our chalk but you can’t erase us” in rainbow-colored chalk beneath the gate.
Potential Violations and Campus Policies
While the act of hanging the cardboard insect violated the university’s time, place, and manner policies, such violations are not criminal offenses by themselves. However, associated actions may still be subject to disciplinary measures under campus regulations.
UCPD officers were on-site to dismantle the protest installation. No official comment has been provided by campus representatives regarding the arrests, and this situation remains ongoing.
