Conservative activist allegedly assaulted on Berkeley campus
Police with the University of California at Berkeley are investigating an alleged assault of a conservative activist Tuesday, after the incident was captured on video. CBS San Francisco reports students recorded the confrontation on their cell phones, and the video soon when viral.
In the video, a man and Turning Point USA volunteer Hayden Williams appear to be in a heated debate before the unidentified man appears to punch Williams. Williams sported a blackened eye on Hannity's show Thursday night.
"This person claimed we were promoting violence on campus and proceeded to take his aggression out on us," Williams told Fox News host Sean Hannity in an interview Thursday night.
Groups and clubs on campus often have tables around campus during the school day. According to CBS San Francisco, Hayden, who is not a student at the university, was staffing a table to promote Turning Point USA, a group for young conservatives. On Hayden's table was a sign that read, "Hate Crimes Hoaxes Hurt Real Victims," referring to the case of Jussie Smollett. Chicago police believe Smollett, who has now been charged with creating a false report, fabricated a hate crime and blamed Trump supporters to boost his career. Williams is not a student at the school, according to police records.
Turning Points USA, a provocative group that engages young people in conservative politics, focuses much of its energy on the subject of what it describes as the silencing of conservative voices on college campuses.
Donald Trump Jr., a close friend of Turning Point USA President Charlie Kirk, condemned the apparent attack on Williams.
"When a liberal like Jussie cries wolf and fakes an attack he receives unmatched coverage, sympathy & support creating a tsunami of attention," the president's son tweeted. "When a conservative student literally gets punched in the face and it's caught on video it barely makes a ripple."
