Far-right Bay Area figure Kyle 'Based Stickman' Chapman posts bail in Texas for assault charge

Right-wing activist Kyle Chapman, aka Based Stickman, arrives at Wiley C. Manuel Alameda County Superior Court for his arraignment on a weapons charge in Oakland, Calif. on Friday, Aug. 25, 2017. Right-wing activist Kyle Chapman, aka Based Stickman, arrives at Wiley C. Manuel Alameda County Superior Court for his arraignment on a weapons charge in Oakland, Calif. on Friday, Aug. 25, 2017. Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle Buy photo Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 4 Caption Close Far-right Bay Area figure Kyle 'Based Stickman' Chapman posts bail in Texas for assault charge 1 / 4 Back to Gallery

Kyle Chapman, a far-right figure with a reputation for violence, turned himself in to the Alameda County Sheriff's Office on July 3 for a felony assault charge resulting from a bar fight in Texas in 2017. Following an investigation of that incident, a judge in Travis County, Texas issued a warrant for Chapman's arrest on March 29.

Chapman gained regional notoriety at protests at Cal Berkeley in 2017.

He evaded arrest for several months and, after turning himself in, he was briefly held at Santa Rita Jail in Alameda County before waiving extradition to Texas, according to multiple sources. He posted bail in Travis County on Monday, a spokesperson for the Travis County Sheriff's Office told SFGATE Tuesday.

RELATED: Trump supporter arrested in Berkeley could face lengthy prison term

The assault charge stems from a fight at Dirty Dog Bar in Austin, where Chapman visited following a "Texans for American Freedom" rally on July 1, 2017. He is accused of punching a man and then hitting the man with a wooden bar stool in the early morning hours of July 2, according to the Express. The victim was left with a fractured orbital bone and brain hemorrhaging, and he required surgery according to that report.

The Austin Police Department confirmed to SFGATE that an incident took place at the bar's address at that time but didn't confirm details.

Chapman was identified by a witness at the bar who recognized him from the previous day's protest footage. Officers also observed surveillance footage of Chapman buying a drink at the bar using his wife's credit card.

In addition to that charge, Chapman, who reportedly lives in Daly City, is accused of carrying a lead-filled stick and using it to hit counter-protesters at a rally in Berkeley in March 2017. He denied those claims, writing in a blog post, "I'm being set up by Alameda county. They are fabricating a case against me to stop me from speaking at Boston. I never had a lead pipe or a leaded stick."

In August 2017, a judge barred him from carrying any weapons, but in November, he posted a video on Facebook telling viewers that he carries a kubotan — a small, high-impact plastic weapon on a keychain — because of the conditions of his bail.

"This is what I carry on my key chain, guys," he said in the video, which has since been taken down. "I will peel your scalp with this thing ... very, very effective weapon."

Shortly thereafter, he was again arrested in December 2017 for operating a vehicle off designated roads (while loudly playing Christmas music) near Fort Funston in San Francisco. Police discovered the kubotan on his keychain. His bail, which had been set at $135,000 was increased to $400,000 by a judge.

RELATED: Right-wing activist Kyle Chapman back in jail with increased bail

Chapman has previously been convicted of other additional crimes, including felony robbery in 1993 in Texas and grand theft in San Diego in 2001.

SFGATE has reached out to the Austin Police Department for more information.

Alyssa Pereira is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at apereira@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @alyspereira.

