There were numerous reports from those on the scene that Berkeley Police largely stayed back as Antifa agitators took pot shots at Donald Trump supporters on Saturday.
“As the Violence Escalated Police in Berkeley stood down and retreated from the crowds,” reporter Tim Pool tweeted.
FollowAs the violence escalated police in Berkeley stood down and retreated from the crowds. I have never seen so few police at an event like this
“I have never seen so few police at an event like this.”
One observer claimed police “ran away,” despite several Trump rally attendees being attacked.
FollowLiterally blood on the streets and the police ran away from the #BerkeleyProtest live now on twitter
Mother Jones reporter Shane Bauer saw two officers at a patrol car, not engaged in protecting citizens from violence.
FollowI tell a police officer I've been seeing people get beat up all day and they haven't been around. "Okay, and?" he says.
“Hey, how come you guys are hanging back?” he asked an officer standing in an open door of the car and another sat in the back seat.
“That would be a question for the chief of police,” an officer sitting in the driver’s seat responded.
“You want a public statement, right?” the standing officer asked the reporter.
“I would refer you to our public information officer.”
“Do they told you to hang back?” Bauer said.
“As I said, I refer you to our public information officer,” the cop responded.
“I’ve been watching all day people get beat up pretty bad and I haven’t seen you guys around much,” Bauer said.
“Okay, and?” the officer responded.
Numerous videos show Trump supporters being beaten in the streets as police failed to keep the two sides apart.
At one point, several black-clad agitators isolated a lone Trump supporter and pummeled him with fists and feet.
Someone jumped in and clubbed him with a skateboard.
Here’s an aerial angle:
