Berkeley, California is no stranger to headlines. Since the beginning of the year, protests have ignited in the city; with Anti-fascist (or “Antifa“) forces and free speech advocates – oftentimes Trump supporters – clashing. The integrity of Jesse Arreguin, Berkeley city mayor, has been called into question as well. Arreguin has been outed as supporting radical leftist group, BAMN, on his Facebook page.

Arreguin was also allegedly under FBI investigation for ordering police to stand down during a protest-turned-riot in February. If Arreguin has actual ties to radicalized BAMN and told police to stand down during incendiary riots, he has no right to govern Berkeley, the once-home to the freedom of speech movement.

Berkeley’s recent demonstrations couldn’t have come at a worse time.

In Texas, massive tragedy and loss racks Houston from Tropical Storm Harvey; catastrophic flooding and destruction of property has taken place and it isn’t even over yet. Yet, in California, Antifa came out in droves to protest and speak out against… what, exactly? We’re all aware of Antifa’s shtick by now; fascism bad, Nazis bad – no hate, no bigotry! but if Antifa were real champions of progress, wouldn’t they have been in Houston, helping the crisis-stricken citizens stranded by monumental flooding?

Furthermore, the demonstrators in Berkeley were overwhelmingly Antifa and leftist in number. The free speech, Trump-supporting crowd made the right call in staying away. The chaos and violence can now only be attributed to Antifa – and no one else.

I have never seen so many members of #antifa in one place. No signs of police in the fray. "Our park!" they are chanting. #berkeley pic.twitter.com/htb4OL2Oz1 — Lizzie Johnson (@lizziejohnsonnn) August 27, 2017

Berkeley was overrun by a group of masked thugs who attacked the small number of counter-protesters who did show up. Antifa harassed and attacked people based solely on their opinions and views, which is political terrorism, to further their chaotic, anti-Trump agenda. Adding onto that, a Patriot Prayer scheduled to take place on Saturday under the shadow of the Golden Gate bridge – led by Joey Gibson, a Japanese American – was cancelled due to anonymous threats online.

Gibson feared that…

“…civic leaders and law enforcement would fail to protect them.”

After the violence in Berkeley on Sunday, it’s obvious Gibson made the right call, but that’s entirely besides the point. In San Francisco, less than a half-hour away from Berkeley, freedom of speech was extinguished. This is how it begins. A Japanese American had his free speech stifled and no one seems to find issue with it… on the cancellation of the event, Mayor Ed Lee said:

“If people want to have the stage in San Francisco, they better have a message that contributes to people’s lives rather than find ways to hurt them. That’s why certain voices found it very difficult to have their voices heard today.”

Protester Bianca Harris claimed:

“San Francisco as a whole, we are a liberal city and this is not a place for hate or any sort of bigotry of any kind. I think it’s a really powerful message that we’re sending to people who come here to try to spew messages of hate that it’s just not welcome in this city.”

But simply, a Patriot Prayer led by a Japanese American doesn’t have anything to do with spewing hate or hurting anyone; it just doesn’t align with the hyper-liberal scene of California. Unable to speak or espouse his views, Gibson was oppressed by tolerant leftists, having his most American right alienated and stomped on…

…but if Gibson hadn’t canceled his event, it surely would have led to more of what happened in Berkeley this week…

Antifa in Berkeley trying to murder a Trump supporter with pipes and sticks. pic.twitter.com/XgMcki9jXV — Hector Morenco (@hectormorenco) August 27, 2017

"Take his camera, take his phone," they are shouting at a journalist. #berkeley pic.twitter.com/hvsQ5eXalE — Lizzie Johnson (@lizziejohnsonnn) August 27, 2017

Not only were Trump supporters attacked, journalists were too! The one common thing you can see across these videos is the stunning lack of police presence; endangering life and emboldening the massive amounts of Antifa protesters roaming the streets. It’s certainly not a good look to wear, attacking people of different opinion and journalists reporting news, but Antifa has decided to wear it proudly like a badge of honor – which it may very well be to them.

When even the shamelessly liberal Washington Post reports Antifa attacked peaceful right-wing demonstrators, that tells you how bad it really was. Antifa’s actions were so belligerent and toxic on Sunday that even the mainstream media can’t ignore it.

Antifa came to Berkeley en masse to cause violence; not demonstrate a message, unless it was a message of chaos and anarchy…

…though, with a chant like “No Trump, no wall, no USA at all“, it kind of seems like Antifa’s agenda is chaos and anarchy. In their plight to fight fascism and bigotry at any cost, Antifa have become the fascists themselves. People of different ideology were beaten with pipes and doused with urine; reporters and journalists were attacked. A Patriot Prayer led by a Japanese American was shut down and labeled “hateful” and “hurtful”. What world are we living in that this is acceptable?

Freedom of speech and expression isn’t in the beginning stages of being dismantled, it’s already well on its way to extinction. It’s ironic that free speech is assailed and attacked in Berkeley, the home to the original freedom of speech movement. The place that gave birth to a passionate, lively movement is also where it seems it will die.

In lieu of free expression and discourse, it seems we’re content to substitute our first amendment with priority to feelings and not aggrieving anyone; whereas free speech is a sign of a healthy and thriving society, the dismantling of it is the sign of one that’s terminally ill.