OAN Deven Berryhill
UPDATED 2:30 PM PT – Wednesday, March 15, 2023
Protesters attempted to disrupt a Turning Point USA (TP USA) event on Tuesday by surrounding the University of California Davis venue causing property damage and injury to police.
The campus chapter of TP USA hosted the Conservative personality Charlie Kirk to much controversy. It has been reported that about 100 protesters clashed with law enforcement officers and other students. The university campus police stated that protesters smashed windows, hurled eggs, and used pepper spray as well as blocked people from entering the University Credit Union Center. One police officer was injured, and two people were detained by police during the incident.
“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,” UC Davis officials said.
According to attendees, UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May addressed the TP USA group, via a prepared video, declaring his support for the LGBTQ community.
“UC Davis stands with our transgender and non-binary Aggies in opposition to this hateful and divisive messaging,” May said.
Leading up to the event, Kirk was criticized by reporter Rosalio Ahumada in the Sacramento Bee, alleging that Kirk had called for the “lynching” of trans-gendered people.
“Charlie Kirk has called for the lynching of trans people, a comment that should warrant the cancelation of his speaking engagement at UC Davis,” Rosalio Ahumada tweeted.
The Sacramento Bee op-ed reporter called for the TP event to be cancelled. She also called Kirk a “fascist speaker” in her article. Kirk replied to Ahumada’s allegations tweeting that he never called for such action and threatened to sue the outlet.
Ahumada later apologized and deleted her tweet stating “the language I used was not precise.” The Sacramento Bee later updated the article referring to Kirk as a “far-right” leader.
Twitter CEO Elon Musk chimed in on Twitter regarding the protest and said “[This was} not a peaceful protest at all,” after seeing photos and videos of the protest surfaced on social media.
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By: OAN
