After the last violent assault by Antifa in Berkeley, the mayor issued stronger words than we have heard from him in the past. He wants them labeled a “street gang” though many would say they are a domestic terrorist group. By their own words, they are a paramilitary anarchist-communist organization.

“We should classify them as a gang,” Arreguin told local CBS affiliate KPIX in a televised interview. “They come dressed in uniforms. They have weapons. They’re almost a militia. I think we should think about that when it comes to our law enforcement approach.”

To his credit, he also called out the violent Left in general.

“We’re going to have think big picture about what’s the strategy on how we’re going to deal with these violent elements on the Left as well,” the mayor said. “We also need to hold accountable and encourage people not to associate with these extremists because it empowers them and gives them cover.”

Mayor Jesse Arreguin now has a special request for UC Berkeley. He wants them to cancel the campus Free Speech Week because of Antifa. In essence he would reward them by doing what they want. Violent thugs will be allowed to shut down free speech.

Don’t “provoke” the hundreds of goons with opinions they oppose, for fear they’ll again turn out and smash things.

“I don’t want Berkeley being used as a punching bag,” said Arreguin. “I am concerned about these groups using large protests to create mayhem.”

Fair enough, but go after Antifa – the actual bad guys.

Arreguin says he “obviously believes in free speech, but there is a line between freedom of speech and then posing a risk to public safety.”

He will let extremists’ proclivity to harm public safety limit others’ freedoms.

Instead of canceling a free speech event, he should be canceling BAMN, an Antifa group. The acronym stands for “by any means necessary.”

Oddly, Berkeley’s Mayor Arreguin’s Twitter logo is ‘Berkeley Stands United Against Hate’, and ‘United Against Hate’ is an Antifa slogan.