University’s Blueprint To Increase Diversity And Sidestep SCOTUS Ruling Could Make It ‘Prime Target’ For Trump DOJ
'Inviting a legal challenge'
Al Sharpton questions Democrats' sanctimony on Jan. 6 amidst pro-Hamas protests, making MSNBC talking heads squirm
The Major Cities Chiefs Association indicated that of the nearly 9,000 Black Lives Matter-related events that took place in MCCA member cities between May 25 and July 31, 2020, 574 were ultimately declared riots. Estimates for the cost of the 2020 BLM riots, which were cheered on by various Democrats, range from $1 billion to $2 billion.
Between 6 and 20 people died in the riots, according to a RealClearInvestigations report. One police officer was killed, and over 2,000 were assaulted or injured. At least 97 police cars were torched, and 300 more were damaged. Numerous government buildings were besieged, vandalized, and torched.
Once again, radical leftists have staged supposedly "peaceful" election-time uprisings across the country. This time around, rather than centering on identitarian and anti-police themes, they are primarily focused on denouncing Israel over its counteroffensive against Hamas terrorists in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attacks.
MSNBC's "Morning Joe" ran the risk of bringing Al Sharpton on Thursday to discuss the anti-Israel protests on university campuses. In a moment of rare clarity on the network, Sharpton indicated that Democrats, who have long sounded off about the Jan. 6 protests — which allegedly resulted in less than $2.7 million in damage — may not have the moral high ground in light of this latest rash of violence.
"Any time what you are protesting for becomes secondary to what you are doing, then you're really not protesting for it," Sharpton told co-hosts Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough as footage of Los Angeles Police Department's overnight efforts to shut down the illegal encampment at the University of California, Los Angeles, played on screen.
The liberal activist suggested that the key is drawing "attention to a cause, not becom[ing] the cause."
"It's about them," Sharpton continued, referencing the pro-Hamas protesters. "I think that they've lost the message."
The talking heads appeared willing to accept that the radicals' conduct was the problem, not their underlying message. They were not, however, as willing to accept Sharpton's message on Democratic hypocrisy.
"How do the Democrats, how do all of us on that side, say January 6 was wrong if you could have the same pictures going on on college campuses?" said Sharpton.
Brzezinski interjected, saying, "Good lord, don't make a parallel with January 6."
"That's happened, though," said Scarborough.
Brzezinski quickly attempted to divert viewers' attention back to the riot visualized on the screen, preventing further engagement with Sharpton's realization.
\ud83d\udea8The Marxists are destroying themselves:\n\nRace-baiting Al Sharpton: \u201cHow do the Democrats \u2014 how do all of us on that side \u2014 say January 6th was wrong if you can have the same pictures going on on college campuses?\u201d\n\nMika Brzezinski: \u201cGood Lord, don\u2019t make a parallel with January\u2026— (@)
Sharpton is not the first person to draw such a parallel on camera in recent days.
Speaking to reporters Tuesday, former President Donald Trump posed the question of whether pro-Hamas rioters would face a similar fate to Jan. 6 protesters, reported The Hill.
"This whole country is up in arms, breaking into colleges, knocking the hell out of Columbia University," said Trump. "I mean, they took over — I know the building very well. They took over a building, that is a big deal."
"And I wonder if what's going to happen to them will be anything comparable to what happened to J6, because they're doing a lot of destruction, a lot of damages, a lot of people getting hurt very badly," continued the Republican presidential candidate. "I wonder if that’s going to be the same kind of treatment they gave J6."
While indicating he was keen to see how it all played out, Trump underscored that he had "lost faith in our court system."
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Riot police successfully take control at UCLA, throwing away Hamas-endorsed radicals' Palestinian flag
Armored officers with the Los Angeles Police Department and California State Police took control of the illegal encampment at the University of California, Los Angeles, early Thursday morning, busting through the Hamas-endorsed student radicals' barricades, flattening the occupiers' tents, and arresting some of those individuals who ignored their repeated warnings and invitations to leave.
The LAPD and other law enforcement agencies responded Tuesday night to the UCLA campus after the leftist university pleaded for help in dealing with the fallout of the same ideas taught inside its classrooms. It was not until Thursday morning that they were able to successfully overwhelm the radicals in Dickson Plaza.
Blaze News national correspondent Julio Rosas was on the scene as the pro-Hamas students, wearing masks and equipped with makeshift shields, faced off with the group of around 30 LAPD officers who initially breached the radicals' illegal encampment. The radicals can be heard taunting and castigating the officers, who had been flanked on both sides.
Anti-Israel protesters inside the encampment at UCLA lined up with shields to face LAPD officers.— (@)
Rosas indicated that the outnumbered officers ultimately withdrew. As the officers gave up hard-won ground, they had to fight off elements of the frenzied mob, which pursued them out of the encampment.
"I'm not entirely sure what the reason was for them to make that first breach," Rosas told Blaze News. "But it wasn't a good one. Obviously."
Similar standoffs appear to have taken place around campus, where police apparently had difficulties making inroads largely on account of their incredible restraint.
\ud83d\udea8California Highway Patrolmen in riot gear are attempting to breach one side of the UCLA encampment. Occupiers rushed with people and shields to push back against the officers. So far CHP has not broken through this route.— (@)
Radicals pelted officers with rocks and attempt to disorient them with fire extinguisher blasts while desperately maintaining their barricades. The officers, in turn, used multiple flash-bangs.
Absolute chaos right now. Occupiers are trying to hold the main makeshift wall as police repeatedly fire flashbangs.— (@)
Evidently growing tired of the violent, selfie-taking mob's sporadic attacks, police began to push back in a big way around 3 a.m. PT.
"That's when the California Highway Patrolmen in riot gear started to make multiple breaches at the main side of the encampment, the side with the makeshift barriers," said Rosas. "They were fighting each other. Protesters were using their bodies. They had a ton of shields and palettes and material to keep pushing up against the riot officers."
Some of the radicals attempted to form a human chain, but the police evidently found a few weak links. Rosas noted that roughly 20 of those in the chain were arrested after police kettled them.
Rosas reported that around 3:30 a.m., police began to successfully tear down the main makeshift wall bordering the illegal encampment. Upon doing so, it quickly became clear that police would soon be able to raze the encampment and clear out the remaining radicals therein.
— (@)
CHP riot police advanced on the camp from other directions as well, tearing down the radicals' agitprop and pushing occupiers out of the way.
A CHP officer effectively signaled the radicals' defeat by flinging down the Palestinian flag at the heart of the illegal encampment.
While pushing back occupiers at UCLA, a California Highway Patrolman removed the big Palestinian flag in the middle of the encampment and threw it on the ground.— (@)
Before dawn, officers effectively controlled the camp, littered with leftist propaganda and other radical refuse.
The encampment is almost cleared out. CHP is tearing down tents and pushing remaining occupiers out of the area.— (@)
Rosas indicated that "it didn't need to come to this. ... If the encampment was cleared sooner, without giving the occupiers so much time to prepare for this, it would have been much easier for law enforcement to clear it out. But because this was allowed to take place for a while."
When asked about the rioters' initial success in repelling, Rosas suggested they "did a pretty good job at communicating with each other — to call for backup, call for materials, call for shields at different points of the border of the encampment. That's part of the reason why it took a while for police to take a significant foothold — because they were very flexible in putting manpower and material in their way."
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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Parents hire private security to protect UC Berkeley students after police department budget cuts
A group of parents with children enrolled at the University of California Berkeley recently took safety measures into their own hands by hiring private security guards amid a spike in crime near the campus, KPIX-TV reported.
A coalition of parents called SafeBears raised $40,000 last year to launch a three-week pilot program from March 6 to 23, 2024. The program hired six "safety ambassadors" to patrol the UC Berkeley campus from 6:30 p.m. to 3 a.m.
The safety ambassadors, who are unarmed, will patrol the campus on foot and by bicycle. According to SafeBears, the security guards have received CPR and de-escalation training.
SafeBears president Sagar Jethani wrote on Facebook, "They are a great group of folks. They're all from the East Bay/SF area, so they understand what's happening with crime in Berkeley."
"They are looking forward to meeting students and making them feel safe at night," Jethani stated.
According to the group, the security guards "will not enter university property" but "stick to public areas, including public streets and sidewalks."
Jethani told KABC, "They are not carrying any kind of defensive gear. They don't carry pepper spray, batons, or handcuffs."
In comments to KPIX, Jethani said that he wants the pilot program to "turn up the heat" on the administration and push it to enact greater safety measures.
"We want to show that we're not content to just wait forever to have these safety ambassadors deployed," he said.
SafeBears explained that the security guards' role is to "provide a physical deterrence to any threats against students."
"If they encounter a situation they feel is escalating, they are equipped with radios and can call for other ambassadors to assist. They also have a contact at Berkeley Police Department in the event the situation turns more serious," the group stated.
The parental coalition was formed last year amid concerns about student safety. According to the group, the University of California Police Department is struggling with reduced staffing and budget cuts.
"UC Berkeley has cut funding for UCPD every year since 2018," SafeBears said. "In that same period, nearly every other UC school has increased funding over 2018 levels."
The group claimed the department's budget last fall was "14% lower than it was in 2018."
Since then, the university has hired 10 additional officers; however, SafeBears noted that the department is still short-staffed.
Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguín (D) cut law enforcement's budget by over $9 million in 2020, the New York Post reported.
Once the private security guard pilot program concludes, the parents hope the university will opt to take over and continue the program.
Safe Bears: UC Berkeley parents hire private security group to make students safer youtu.be
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California Democrats Work To Legalize Discrimination After Voters Rejected It Twice
California’s Democrat legislators should have accepted defeat graciously, respected voters’ wishes, and shifted their resources to other pressing issues.Today's top stories
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