Note that I use the word “rioters,” not “protesters” or “counter-protesters” or “demonstrators” or any other euphemism. The violence and destruction we’re seeing at these rallies, committed by opponents of free speech, isn’t protesting. It’s rioting. And the cops need to be able to quell it, or there’s no point in having cops.

Associated Press:

For the first time in 20 years, police in the city of Berkeley can use pepper spray on violent demonstrators.

The City Council voted 6-3 Tuesday to allow police to use pepper spray to repel attacks on officers and others during the kind of violent protests that have rocked the city this year…

The council said pepper spray “shall not be used as a crowd control technique to disperse a crowd or move a crowd,” the motion stated. “Police may use pepper spray upon specific individuals within a crowd who are committing acts of violence upon police or others.”

Good. If these lunatics want to beat people up just because conservatives like Ben Shapiro have the right to speak freely, the cops should be able to respond to that violence appropriately. And targeting individual rioters with pepper spray is better than deterrents like tear-gas bombs, which hurt both rioters and peaceful protesters alike.

Shapiro is speaking in Berkeley tomorrow, and I hope these Antifa dickheads can control themselves. But if not, I’ll be glad to watch the police control them.

(Hat tip: Rebecca Savransky)