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The California Report

Injuries, Arrests in Berkeley After Rally For Trump

Ericka Cruz Guevarra
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A fight breaks out after pro and anti-Trump demonstrators clash in Berkeley. (John Sepulvado/KQED)

Update, 2:47 p.m., Saturday, April 15:

Police have arrested 13 people and say they "anticipate more" after violence broke out at a pro-Trump demonstration in downtown Berkeley on Saturday.

About 200 supporters and protesters of President Donald Trump gathered at Berkeley's Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park when several people started pushing each other.  Dozens of police officers in riot gear were standing nearby and quickly arrested one man.

Others were arrested after several fistfights broke out between gatherers for the so-called “Patriots Day” demonstration and “Antifa” counterprotest. At 1:48 p.m., police said there were a number of large fights, some property damage and numerous projectiles being thrown -- including fireworks.

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Nathan Damigo, founder of the white nationalist group Identity Evropa, said he was attending the demonstration to defend free speech, which he called "a European value."

"We feel it is important to be here today to ensure that people are able to speak without having violence used against them," he said.

Police continued to follow demonstrators closely as they left the park, taking to the streets of Berkeley. BART announced it would not stop trains at the Downtown Berkeley station, and demonstrators blocked Center Street and Shattuck Avenue.

Berkeley banned protesters from carrying sticks, pipes, poles and "anything else that can be used for a 'riot'" in an effort to "ensure the peaceful expression of free speech." In a statement released Friday, the city said the ban stemmed from violence at a similar demonstration in March. Berkeley police say they are still making arrests in connection with the March demonstration. Many who'd attended had come from out of town.

Despite the warnings, police confiscated many such items at this demonstration.

In February, protesters threw rocks, broke windows and set fires outside UC Berkeley's student union building, where then-Breitbart News editor and provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos was set to speak. His presentation was canceled.

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