"President" Donald Trump threatened today to pull federal funding for University of California at Berkeley in response to violent and destructive protests Wednesday outside a planned speech at the campus by far-right writer and "troll" Milo Yiannopoulos. -more-

Amid an apparently organized violent attack and destruction of property at UC Berkeley’s Martin Luther King Jr. Student Union, the UC Police Department (UCPD) determined it was necessary to evacuate controversial speaker Milo Yiannopoulos from campus and to cancel his scheduled 8 p.m. event. The Breitbart News editor had been invited by the Berkeley College Republicans.

At about 10 p.m., campus officials lifted the “shelter in place” order issued earlier in the evening and said Berkeley would be back to business as usual on Thursday. However, UCPD asked the community to be aware that protest activity was still occurring in the city of Berkeley and to avoid streets surrounding the campus.

The violence was instigated by a group of about 150 masked agitators who came onto campus and interrupted an otherwise non-violent protest. -more-

Most of you did not participate in the violent and destructive acts on Wednesday evening, and many of you are just as angry as me -- a concerned alumna. Nevertheless, in the coming weeks and months, you will have the unfortunate experience of being associated with these acts simply because you are a student at Berkeley. -more-

Destruction and violence are contrary to progressive values and have no place in our community. I support those who peacefully come together in pursuit of a just and inclusive country that stands united with our immigrant population and the many others who are being targeted in this national political climate.

Unfortunately, last night, a small minority of the protesters who had assembled in opposition to a speaking engagement featuring a prominent alt-rightist engaged in violence and property damage. They also provided the ultra-nationalist far right exactly the images they want to use to try to discredit the vast majority of peaceful protesters in Berkeley and across America who are deeply concerned about where our country is heading.

The decision to invite the speaker and cancel the speech was done by the University, and not the City of Berkeley. The strategy deployed by the police was not my decision, but the decision of the department based on professional judgment of the police department. They did an incredible job under these circumstances and prevented further violence.

I represent a city that stands united for community, for inclusion, and for a peaceful dialogue about the issues, and that stands united against bigotry, united against fear mongering, and united against violence towards anyone. For our community to be a beacon of light in these dark times, we must display our values of inclusion, keep each other and our community safe, embrace our right to peacefully assemble, and show the rest of the country our values in both speech and in action. -more-

University of California, Berkeley police have cleared the campus following violent protests Wednesday night in response to a scheduled speech by journalist Milo Yiannopoulos. -more-

Milo Yiannopoulos has made a career of inflaming racist, sexist and nativist sentiments. Berkeley has a proud history of dissent and students were fully within their rights to protest peacefully. However, I am disappointed by the unacceptable acts of violence last night which were counterproductive and dangerous. -more-

Several injuries have been reported and at least four banks have been vandalized tonight after demonstrators marched away from the scene of a violent protest at a canceled speaking event by controversial far-right writer and speaker Milo Yiannopoulos on the University of California at Berkeley campus. -more-

Update #13: The total demonstration crowd appears to have dwindled to about 200 persons. -more-

Update #11: We are now receiving reports that group is now walking through the UC Berkeley campus.

Because of the violent behaviors of some of the persons in the demonstration, persons should avoid the area bounded by Hearst Avenue, Fulton Street, College Avenue, and Dwight Way.

Update #10: We are now receiving reports that persons are vandalizing businesses on the 2000 block of Center Street as the group of hundreds walk eastbound—towards UC Berkeley’s West Crescent.

Because of the violent behaviors of some of the persons in the demonstration, persons should avoid the area bounded by University Avenue, MLK Jr Way, Fulton Street, and Dwight Way.

Update #9: We are now receiving reports that persons are setting fires to banks in the area Center Street & Shattuck Avenue as well as more fighting in the crowds.

Because of the violent behaviors of some of the persons in the demonstration, persons should avoid the area bounded by University Avenue, MLK Jr Way, Fulton Street, and Dwight Way. -more-

We are now receiving reports of persons vandalizing businesses on Shattuck Avenue—as the group of 200-300 persons walk northbound on Shattuck Avenue towards University Avenue.

Because of the violent behaviors of some of the persons in the demonstration, persons should avoid the area bounded by University Avenue, MLK Jr Way, College Avenue, and Dwight Way. -more-

The Berkeley Police Department is now receiving information that the crowd of 200 to 300 persons is now moving westbound on Durant Avenue—from Telegraph Avenue towards Shattuck Avenue. -more-

https://www.facebook.com/BuzzFeedNews/videos/1395618533792494/ -more-

We are receiving unconfirmed reports that there may have been hit & run collision involving a white BMW at the intersection of Durant & Telegraph Avenue—where a person may have been struck. At this time, we have not found a victim of this incident. -more-

Update #5: We are now receiving reports that a group of hundreds are now walking southbound on Telegraph Avenue—approaching Channing Way. At this point, the Berkeley Police Department has received reports of at least 3-4 injuries from fights happening in the area as well as reports of some vandalism to businesses in the area. -more-

The Berkeley Police Department is now receiving reports that there are fights happening within the crowd along the Telegraph Avenue corridor. The demonstration crowd is now estimated at 1000 persons.

Persons in the area bounded by Bancroft Way, Shattuck Avenue, College Avenue, and Dwight Way should avoid the area.

The University Police Department has requested additional outside police resources to address the violent demonstration happening in the area. Because of the violent nature of some of the persons in the demonstration, persons should avoid the area and be advised that emergency responders may need to use tear gas to disperse the demonstrators.

Persons in the area bounded by Bancroft Way, Shattuck Avenue, College Avenue, and Dwight Way should avoid the area. -more-

Police threaten use of batons, chemical agents as protest at canceled Yiannopoulos event turns violent

Police at the University of California at Berkeley have placed the campus on lockdown and asked residents to stay away from the area amid a tense protest at a planned speaking event by controversial far-right writer and speaker Milo Yiannopoulos this evening.

A shelter-in-place order has been issued for the area due to the protest, which police described as a "dangerous situation." They announced a dispersal order on Twitter at 6:45 p.m., but as of 6:55 p.m. there were few officers on the plaza to enforce it.

The event barricades were breached and used to smash the windows of the campus bookstore, where the entrance to the event was located. A large fire has been burning in front of the building. It briefly spread to a nearby tree.

The barricades directly in front of the bookstore were dismantled by protesters in masks. Many from the crowd have gathered on the bookstore's steps. -more-

Amid violence, destruction of property, and out of concern for public safety, the University of California Police Department has cancelled tonight’s scheduled 8 p.m. performance at Pauley Ballroom by Milo Yiannopoulos, who has been invited to speak by the Berkeley College Republicans. -more-

The following message was sent to all UC Berkeley Students today, just before noon:

Dear Undergraduate and Graduate Students,

As you may be aware, a controversial speaker will be on campus the evening of Wednesday, February 1, 2017. The event will take place at the MLK Student Union (adjacent to Sproul Plaza), with doors opening at 7pm and the event beginning at 8pm. We anticipate there will be major protest/demonstration activity leading up to and surrounding this event which may result in large crowds and difficulties transiting the area around the venue. -more-

The Kennedy plan for renting 100 tiny box apartments to the city for the homeless, as suggested in a Berkeleyside article, appears to be a developer boondoggle -- a wasteful use of city funds. I am completely sympathetic with the homeless plight and strongly feel that it is our moral duty to provide shelter options for the homeless. However this crisis should not be used to pad the pocketbooks of investors and developers. This is disaster capitalism at its worst – exactly what Naomi Klein warned against in her book “Shock Doctrine.” Below I outline the reasons that the city of Berkeley should not to get sucked into this developer boondoggle. -more-

With posters on social media spreading the notion that a coup is in process, I suggest we take time to listen to what Harvard Law School professor Jack Goldsmith has to say about the limits to presidential power.

In an interview with The Cipher Brief, Goldsmith acknowledges the range of powers Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama have exercised ever since Congress authorized use of force after the 9/11 attack. In the nearly 15½ years since then, he says, presidents have used “extensive military force, expanded surveillance at home and abroad, detention without trial, and much more.”

Still, Goldsmith notes significant checks on presidential power. Civil society groups like the ACLU can file lawsuits and issue reports. The press “is more motivated than ever to hold Trump accountable.” He also counts on the judiciary and even Congress to restrain Trump “if he engages in excessive behavior.” -more-

Protesters and journalists have reached a tentative settlement with the City of Berkeley in a National Lawyers Guild federal civil rights lawsuit over police brutality at a December 6, 2014, racial justice protest.

The plaintiffs alleged that they were clubbed and tear gassed for no reason and forcibly herded more than a mile down Telegraph Avenue, from the south campus area into Oakland. The settlement, which is expected to be approved at the February 14, 2017, Berkeley City Council meeting, includes policy changes intended to prevent a recurrence of the police misconduct, and $125,000 for seven plaintiffs. Two other plaintiffs settled earlier with the City of Hayward, whose police provided mutual aid at the protest, for an undisclosed amount. -more-

San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera today filed a federal lawsuit against President Donald Trump challenging the constitutionality of an executive order threatening sanctuary cities with enforcement actions and a loss of federal funding. -more-

Councilperson Kalb finally got around to having a public meeting, Dec. 14 at Beebe Memorial Church, around the increasingly controversial 24-story Tower proposed for the MacArthur BART station parking lot. Expect if this ones goes through for renewed efforts to do the same at the Rockridge BART station. Councilperson Kalb just got re-elected against a little-known opponent, so it shouldn't come as much of a surprise he’s ducking the issue, even if BART and the developers have colluded to turn the 5-6 story project reviewed in the 2008 EIR into a 24-story behemoth. The tower, as proposed by the Boston Properties and McGrath Properties developers, would be the second tallest building in Oakland. It is on a fast track for approval, despite neighborhood opposition and scant attempt at community buy-in. Conveniently for project sponsors, and astroturf pro-housing cheerleaders, many residents are distracted by the recent national election, and tuned out for the moment from politics. -more-

It was the first time I’d ever attended a Police Review Commission meeting in Berkeley, a university town near San Francisco. Together with nine other community members, we went to express our opposition to three terrible policies of the city government and its Police Department:

1. Repeated police raids on homeless encampments, forcing people out of their tents into the cold, rainy winter, causing several recent deaths from exposure.
2. City participation in the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center and its domestic spying operation, coordinated nationally by the FBI. [This was used locally to spy on Black Lives Matter demonstrations.]
3. City participation in the Urban Areas Security Initiative, aimed at militarizing (and possibly eventually federalizing) local police forces under the baton of the Department of Homeland Security. -more-

Donald Trump has provided us with a teachable moment: his executive order denying funds to sanctuary cities has spurred a public conversation on the scope of presidential power to force states and cities to do his will.

On Southern California public radio station KPCC, two law professors squared off with different views of Trump’s legal power to make his executive order stick. -more-

The fifth and final person who had been detained at San Francisco International Airport under President Donald Trump's Executive Order has been released, airport officials said this afternoon, citing U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials. -more-

An emergency stay was granted by a federal judge in New York this evening blocking deportations from President Donald Trump's executive order banning entry into the U.S. from certain Muslim-majority countries after a day when protesters swarmed airports nationwide, including hundreds in San Francisco International Airport. -more-

The Kennedy plan for renting 100 tiny box apartments to the city for the homeless, as suggested in a Berkeleyside article, appears to be a developer boondoggle -- a wasteful use of city funds. I am completely sympathetic with the homeless plight and strongly feel that it is our moral duty to provide shelter options for the homeless. However this crisis should not be used to pad the pocketbooks of investors and developers. This is disaster capitalism at its worst – exactly what Naomi Klein warned against in her book “Shock Doctrine.” Below I outline the reasons that the city of Berkeley should not to get sucked into this developer boondoggle. -more-

Among the law professors weighing in on Donald Trump’s executive order barring entry of immigrants from designated nations, City University of New York’s Ruthann Robson considers its relationship to the equal protection principle--one of several on which the ACLU has based its lawsuit to block the order. -more-

I am profoundly saddened and angered by the broad discrimination sanctioned last night by the Trump administration against refugees -- those fleeing violence and terrorism within their country -- and immigrants from Muslim-majority countries. -more-

Some immigrants have reportedly been held at San Francisco International Airport since this morning due to President Donald Trump's recent executive order, banning entry to the U.S. from certain Muslim-majority countries. -more-

The latest appearance of an incendiary preener--in this case, Mr. Yiannopoulos--on campus doesn't much bother me. The collection which attends these tour stops does. Let's see: screaming attackers..the young and the witless who agree sincerely..the solemn head shakers..those who think asking reasonable questions will get reasonable answers.

I have an answer: treat him as a stand-up comic, and laugh away. Just make sure he knows you're laughing at him, not with him. -more-

This morning the ACLU and several other legal organizations filed a lawsuit on behalf of two Iraqi men who were en route to the United States when President Trump issued an executive order banning many Muslims from entering the country. -more-

San Francisco — Outraged members of the San Francisco community will hold an emergency protest against the detention of Muslim refugees following an Executive Order signed by the President yesterday. -more-

It could be a trying next four years. Not to mention boring—will it really be all Dumpf all the time? If today’s new issue of the Berkeley Daily Planet is any indication, we run the risk of being swallowed up by the “president” Lump behemoth.

(Yes, I still can’t resist the somewhat childish practice of putting his title in scare quotes and refusing to type his ugly name, sorry.)

All but two of the submissions I’ve posted today, Friday, are about that guy and the woes he’s releasing upon the nation, and one of those two was a personal essay and the other a review.

I’m going to indulge myself in a few words about last Saturday’s march, and then perhaps we could think for a moment about what’s going on in Berkeley. -more-