Four arrested as protesters gather at UC Berkeley for talk by conservative speaker Ben Shapiro
Hundreds of protesters swarmed UC Berkeley on Thursday evening as conservative writer Ben Shapiro spoke on campus, with law enforcement out in force to prevent a repeat of recent violent clashes between far-left and far-right agitators.
At least four people were arrested for carrying banned weapons. One was also held on suspicion of battery on a police officer. Hundreds of law enforcement officers, many in riot gear, prepared for violence and seized potential weapons. But as of 10 p.m., no major skirmishes had been reported. Several shouting matches erupted but ended peacefully.
A campus spokesman said there is a “sense of relief” that the preparations worked and Shapiro’s speech went smoothly.
The intense security for the evening came with a $600,000 price tag, and involved shutting down and clearing out large swaths of the campus.
Read more: http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-berkeley-protest-shapiro-20170914-htmlstory.html
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