Berkeley fears repeat of violence at planned pro-Trump rally

A man tries to separate protesters for and against President Donald Trump in Berkeley March 4. Local businesses and residents are bracing for more of the same at a similar rally planned for this Saturday. A man tries to separate protesters for and against President Donald Trump in Berkeley March 4. Local businesses and residents are bracing for more of the same at a similar rally planned for this Saturday. Photo: Noah Berger, Special To The Chronicle Photo: Noah Berger, Special To The Chronicle Image 1 of / 30 Caption Close Berkeley fears repeat of violence at planned pro-Trump rally 1 / 30 Back to Gallery

The Berkeley farmers’ market has been open for business every Saturday for 30 years, save the time gale-force winds shut it down. But it will be closed Saturday, as organizers fear the fallout from a second pro-President Trump rally in as many months near the market’s home.

The people who run the Ecology Center Farmers’ Market next to Civic Center Park decided this week not to set up their stalls Saturday because of concerns of more violence from the rally, which is set to start at noon in the park near Berkeley City Hall, said Martin Bourque, the market’s executive director.

The closure was the clearest sign of concern among businesses and residents about a rally being organized by a loose collective of far-right groups. One of them, Oath Keepers, which says it will provide security, has been categorized as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

“While this is a real financial blow to many farmers, we cannot put a price on safety,” Bourque said.

At a pro-Trump rally at the park March 4, 60 to 75 supporters of the president were outnumbered by counterdemonstrators and anarchists. The two groups quickly clashed, throwing punches, swinging signs with wooden stakes and hurling bricks at one another.

Ten participants were arrested — several on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon — said Sgt. Andrew Frankel, a spokesman for the Berkeley Police Department. Additionally, nine warrants were issued for arrests, he said.

On Wednesday, police released photographs of three people allegedly involved whom they were seeking for arrest.

Frankel said officers in early March “took a strategic approach about how and where we made arrests,” adding: “We didn’t see that wading into the crowd was a viable tactic.” On Saturday, Frankel said, the force will again have extra officers on standby.

Many demonstrators after the rally criticized police officers’ apparent reluctance to make arrests. A spokesman for the city, Matthai Chakko, said that “what you saw is a lot of people came armed and armored and ready to fight.” He said police did an “excellent job” and emphasized that the violence hadn’t spilled into the streets surrounding the park.

“We’re always looking to improve, and we’re always looking to see how we can better respond,” he said.

Chakko said the city had been in talks with the farmers’ market and other local businesses to ensure their safety.

Rich Black, an organizer of the rally with the Liberty Revival Alliance, did not respond to a request for comment. On the event’s Facebook page, a number of people blamed “leftist thugs” for inciting the violence in March. Several posters said they planned to come to Saturday’s rally from as far away as Los Angeles.

In a YouTube video, another member of the Liberty Revival Alliance said, “We understand that (counterdemonstrators) will use violence against us,” adding that demonstrators will “defend ourselves in a lawful manner.”

Bourque of the farmers’ market condemned the planned rally, saying he was “not sure what they hope to accomplish.”

“I seriously doubt there will be any changing of hearts and minds,” Bourque said. “We don’t need any more pepper spray, shouting matches and bloodshed.”

Invited speakers, according to the video, include Lauren Southern, a far-right Canadian activist who has said rape affects men more than women, and AltRight.com writer Brittany Pettibone, who has said she believes in Pizzagate, a discredited conspiracy theory involving Hillary Clinton.

Also invited was right-wing Twitter personality Baked Alaska, who regularly amplifies radical conspiracy theorists such as Paul Joseph Watson of Infowars.

In a YouTube video, Southern said she relished the “bashing of antifa heads.”

A number of liberal and antifa — short for antifascist — groups have said they’ll “shut it down” Saturday.

In March, anarchists dressed in black and wearing bandannas over their faces burned American flags and red Trump “Make America Great Again” hats, threw eggs and stopped traffic leading to the park.

In a Facebook post, the Berkeley Antifa group said its followers “draw inspiration” from those “who stand against fascism, however they can. Let the bootlickers cower beyond the cops as they face a barrage of noise, glitter, and paint. The streets belong to us!”

Michael Bodley is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mbodley@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @michael_bodley