Protestors gathered in response to Louis C.K.’s arrival at the San Jose Improv on Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2019, and a man was punched in the face, as the controversial comedian began his first West Coast appearances since his career was derailed in the wake of sexual misconduct claims.

The club’s parent company released a statement saying they respect the protestors right to assemble, but also “respect Louis C.K.’s right to perform.” Reports from inside the club suggest the comedian hasn’t changed his approach. At one point he reportedly referenced his action that caused the most outrage; masturbating in front of women.

About 30 protesters, many from the San Jose-based Enough is Enough Voter Project, clustered on the rainy sidewalk in front of the comedy club, chanting “Shame!” and “San Jose, not Man Jose” as ticket-holders walked into the sold out 8 p.m. show. A man in a separate protest group of two people, shouting into a bullhorn across the street, was punched in the face by another man who appeared to enter the club afterward.

“We were out here protesting doing our thing,” said the injured protestor, who identified himself as George and declined to give a last name. “And the guy saw me, came up … and he was like ‘Oh yeah, well I think if you’re out here you’re a f—ing p—y.’ And I was like, ‘Whoa dude, OK, screw you.’ And then he went for me. He punched me in the face. He tried to punch me a couple times in the head, and that happened right as the cops started rolling up.”

Police interviewed the man calling himself George, who had multiple cuts on his face, and then entered the club.

Louis C.K. became one of the biggest stories in the #MeToo movement in 2017, after he was accused of sexual misconduct, and admitted to masturbating in front of female comics. After stepping away from the spotlight, he began performing again in New York last year, generating more controversy for his comedy, including a set in late December that appeared to mock survivors of the Parkland, Fla., school shooting.

He hasn’t appeared to soften his act. The comedian opened his San Jose set on Wednesday with the line, “I like to jerk off, and I don’t like being alone,” according to a report by the Daily Beast. And while the Parkland jokes weren’t included, the Daily Beast reported that he mined humor in racial stereotypes and developmentally disabled children, and included a joke about 9/11.

“I got on a plane once,” Louis C.K. said, according to the Daily Beast report. “And this couple comes up to me as we’re boarding. There’s an empty seat next to me, and this woman says to me, ‘Would you mind moving so my husband and I can sit together?’ And he’s behind her and he’s like (motions — no). I didn’t know what to do. I don’t wanna upset him. But I don’t wanna sit with his … wife. So I just got off the plane.

“And then the plane took off. And it hit the World Trade Center.”

Still, fans who attended the show took to social media with positive reviews, including one witness, @VirgilioBenG on Twitter, who said the comedian received a standing ovation at the beginning and end of his set.

I went and saw Louis ck tonight at the improv and it was fun. Louis was really funny. He addressed the controversy at the beginning. He got a standing ovation at the beginning and the end. There were protesters outside but it was all peaceful. It was a really great time. — Virgilio (@VirgilioBenG) January 17, 2019

“The whole point of comedy is to say things that you shouldn’t say. That’s the entire point,” Louis C.K. reportedly told the audience.

Enough is Enough’s chair is Stanford law professor Michele Dauber, who led a protest against Judge Aaron Persky gave a lenient sentence to Brock Turner, a former Stanford student convicted of three counts of sexual assault. Persky lost his job, after more than 60 percent of Santa Clara County voters cast ballots to remove him from the bench.

Dauber said Louis C.K. should have expected protests, because “this is clearly a community that feels extremely strongly in opposition to sexual harassment and sexual violence.”

“I was surprised because he’s an admitted serial sexual harassser who caused a lot of damage to the careers of women comedians,” Dauber added. “I think allowing him to come here is the same kind of old boys network in the comedy clubs that allowed Bill Cosby to be a predator for so many years.”

San Jose Improv early this week posted new Louis C.K. shows for Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 17, which sold out quickly, then added a second Thursday show. His last Bay Area performances before the controversy were at much larger venues, including Davies Symphony Hall and the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco.

“I was just interested in seeing what he had to say,” said Brian Garrotte, who was hoping for waiting list tickets to be released. “I know it’s controversial, but comedy in general is supposed to be controversial.”

Improv Comedy Clubs, which has more than two dozen locations, released a statement to The Chronicle on Wednesday defending the decision to book Louis C.K.

“We see comedy as the final frontier and we don’t censor artists,” the statement read. “We want them to perform without scrutiny. We trust that our audiences can decide for themselves what their limits are. We understand that not everyone will agree with our decision and we respect their right to protest. We also respect Louis C.K.’s right to perform.”

Taking a break from leading chants at the protest, Dauber pointed out that San Jose Improv has acts booked through May, with no female headliners listed.

“That speaks volumes,” Dauber said.

Down the street, as three police vehicles were parked outside the club, George acknowledged that he was using strong language against the ticket-holders entering the club. But he said he didn’t deserve to get hit.

“I’m not a constitutional lawyer or nothing, but I can’t help thinking of my First Amendment rights. You know what I mean?”