Berkeley Protest: 20 Arrested, 11 Injured At Saturday's Patriots Day Rally

BERKELEY, CA — Police say 20 people were arrested as pro and anti-Trump demonstrators clashed in Berkeley Saturday. Two simultaneous demonstrations were planned for Civic Center Park on Saturday.

The demonstration took over Center Street and Allston Way between Milvia Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Way. The downtown Berkeley BART station was also closed as a result.

Police say a large number of fights occurred and numerous fireworks were thrown in the crowds. There were also been numerous reports of pepper spray being used in the crowd. Police said at least 11 people were injured and among those at least seven were taken to hospitals.

According to police, among those arrested, the charges include arrests for assault with a deadly weapon and several other felony assaults. At least two of the arrests came from investigations into the violence that broke out in March.

Photos from the scene Saturday morning showed police dressed in riot gear. In anticipation of the event, police had already informed demonstrators about a long list of items that were banned from the event, such as metal pipes, baseball bats, poles and bricks.

Police officers from Oakland came to the city's aid.

"Organizers have promoted Saturday's gathering as a follow-up to an unpermitted March 4 demonstration, when numerous people were hurt due to violence," city officials said in a statement. "Ten people were arrested for their roles in the events, and other arrests are being actively pursued. No one has applied for or obtained a permit for Saturday, and as a result, anyone at the park will be subject to these rules."

Journalists at the scene reported that police had deployed tear gas to break up scuffles.

A video from the scene showed a protester being detained.

Shane Bauer, a senior editor for Mother Jones magazine, posted a video that showed skirmishes breaking out between the two opposing groups and also showed police reacting to the crowds.

Berkeley Police confiscated a number of prohibited items from protesters. Anyone with photos or videos of the event is asked to share them with police by sending them to police@cityofberkeley.info.

The scene at the protest is not new for Berkeley. In March, 10 people were arrested as pro and anti-Trump protesters clashed at the same location. Earlier this year, a riot broke out at the UC Berkeley campus when the controversial far-right figure Milo Yiannopoulos was supposed to speak on campus.

Patch will update this story with the latest information from the protest. Check back for updates.

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