Violent protests erupt outside final TPUSA tour stop at UC Berkeley; DOJ responds

Violent protests erupted outside a Turning Point USA event at the University of California, Berkeley, on Monday during what would have been the last stop in the late Charlie Kirk's fall campus tour, prompting a response from a federal investigator.

Comedian Rob Schneider and Christian apologist Frank Turek, who accompanied Kirk to the hospital after he was shot on Sept. 10, spoke at the event exactly two months after Kirk was assassinated at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.

Footage of the protests showed members of Antifa throwing projectiles, lighting flares and trying to breach police barricades.

Video of one incident from Frontlines TPUSA, the organization's journalistic arm, shows a fight that erupted and left a TPUSA supporter wearing a "Freedom" shirt with a bloody face. A protester racially mocked the bloodied man, calling him "white boy" among other epithets as police repelled him.

BREAKING: Two arrested as a fight between an ANTIFA member and a Trump supporter breaks out at UC Berkeley.

Unclear who started the fight, but the Trump supporter who was left bloodied stated that it was the ANTIFA member who tried to rob him first.

Both men have been… pic.twitter.com/Dl2TVWfn3L

— FRONTLINES TPUSA (@FrontlinesTPUSA) November 11, 2025

Berkeley and UC Berkeley campus police confirmed four arrests, including one for battery, according to KTVU.

A spokesperson for UC Berkeley told The Christian Post that more than 900 people attended the TPUSA event, which they noted was held successfully and proceeded without disruption.

"Prior to the event, two individuals were arrested for fighting outside campus. They were arrested for battery by the City of Berkeley Police Department," the spokesperson said. "Two other individuals were arrested by the campus police for failing to comply with directions. One of them was booked into jail, one was released."

U.S. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon promised that UC Berkeley and the city of Berkeley "should expect some incoming [Civil Rights] correspondence. And more."

"In America, we do not allow citizens to be attacked by violent thugs and shrug and turn our backs. Been there, done that, not on our watch," she added.

Schneider, who had attended campus events with Kirk before his death, praised the students who attended despite attempts to intimidate them.

"I would like to thank ALL the courageous Cal Berkeley students who REFUSED to be intimidated by the 'not very tolerant' Left. We KNOW who the REAL FASCISTS are… the thugs who DON’T WANT FREE SPEECH," Schneider said in an X post on Tuesday.

I would like to thank ALL the courageous Cal Berkeley students who REFUSED to be intimidated by the ‘not very tolerant’ Left. We KNOW who the REAL FASCISTS are… the thugs who DON’T WANT FREE SPEECH. https://t.co/yrMWNlAbp0

— Rob Schneider ???????? (@RobSchneider) November 11, 2025

Turek noted that Antifa, despite claiming to fight fascism, exhibits its tactics in their attempt to suppress the exchange of ideas.

"As they again proved last night, the folks who say they are fighting for 'inclusion, tolerance and diversity' will not include you and not tolerate you for holding a diverse view. They are the true fascists who prevented at least 1,000 from getting into the venue last night. Pray for them. Thanks to the brave 900+ who did get in," Turek tweeted.

As they again proved last night, the folks who say they are fighting for "inclusion, tolerance and diversity" will not include you and not tolerate you for holding a diverse view. They are the true fascists who prevented at least 1,000 from getting into the venue last night.… https://t.co/KUq0TgNIDT

— Frank Turek (@DrFrankTurek) November 11, 2025

When an X user expressed a desire that Turek "stick to apologetics," he replied: "You can't do apologetics if you don't have freedom of speech or freedom of religion."