106 arrests sought after white-nationalist rally in Sacramento



less Sacramento police mounted officers prepare for crowd control after a scuffle broke out at a protest near the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif., on Sunday, June 26, 2016. Officials said several were stabbed when members of right-wing extremists groups holding a rally clashed with counter-protesters. Sacramento police mounted officers prepare for crowd control after a scuffle broke out at a protest near the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif., on Sunday, June 26, 2016. Officials said several were stabbed when ... more Photo: Jerry H. Yamashita, Associated Press Photo: Jerry H. Yamashita, Associated Press Image 1 of / 7 Caption Close 106 arrests sought after white-nationalist rally in Sacramento 1 / 7 Back to Gallery

More than 100 people could face charges relating to a bloody melee that broke out at the state Capitol last year when white-nationalist demonstrators were confronted by counterprotesters.

The California Highway Patrol announced Wednesday that it had forwarded results from an eight-month investigation into the clash to the Sacramento County District Attorney and had found clear evidence of crimes ranging from unlawful assembly to assault with a deadly weapon.

The violence stemmed from a June 26 demonstration that members of a group calling itself the Traditionalist Worker Party took out permits to hold in the west area of Capitol Park. The organization, which claims about 500 members nationwide, is a white nationalist, political group that formed early last year, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

A group called Anti-Fascist Action Sacramento, which also calls itself Antifa Sacramento, organized a counter-demonstration, for which it did not have permits, authorities said.

The back-and-forth between about two dozen of the right-wing demonstrators and hundreds of others began with small skirmishes on the steps of the Capitol and soon spread elsewhere in the park. Some 300 people were involved, authorities said. At least 14 were injured, two with critical stab wounds.

Thousands of dollars of damage was done to the Capitol grounds, according to the California Highway Patrol.

No arrests were made at the time. At least 100 law officers were present.

The California Highway Patrol’s new 2,000-page report, which includes hours of video footage, asks the district attorney’s office to consider 514 misdemeanor and 68 felony charges against 106 people.

The District Attorney’s Office could not be immediately reached Wednesday evening.

Officers said that the investigation was hampered by demonstrators who refused to cooperate or identify themselves. Many were masked during the confrontation.

“Our role is to protect free speech,” said Capt. Daniel Lamm in a prepared statement, “but not when that speech involves violence.”

Kurtis Alexander is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kurtisalexander