UC BERKELEY UNDER TIGHT SECURITY FOR CONSERVATIVE SPEAKER

[madville]

BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) -- The University of California, Berkeley has ramped up security as it braces to host conservative commentator Ben Shapiro Thursday night, the latest polarizing figure to raise concerns of violence on the famously liberal campus.

Authorities plan to seal off the campus' central hub, Sproul Plaza, with a "closed perimeter" around several buildings including where Shapiro is scheduled to speak to a sold-out, 1,000-person audience. There will be "an increased and highly visible police presence," the university said in a statement.

For the first time in two decades, officers have been authorized to use pepper spray to control violence after the city council modified a 1997 ban at an emergency meeting this week.

Berkeley city police chief Andrew Greenwood said officers would make "very strong, rapid arrests" of protesters wielding weapons and wearing masks.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_FREE_SPEECH_BERKELEY?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2017-09-13-19-15-15


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Something to keep an eye on tonight.

[Expecting Rain]

1. My alma mater has a strong tradition of supporting free speech...

which includes respecting the free speech rights of those with whom were disagree, including those with whom we vocerifiously disagree.

The Bernie Sanders-endorsed Mayor of Berkey has branded Antifa a criminal gang because he's seen their violence (and violent ideology) first-hand.

Riots only give these right-wingers what they desire.

Better to deny them the attention they seek.

[Initech]

5. Yes, I would prefer they speak to empty rooms.

They crave negative attention, they get stronger with every hater and every violent protestor. I would prefer they get no attention.

[Expecting Rain]

6. Right. They are the equivalent of internet trolls.

Don't feed the trolls.

[gratuitous]

2. Everyone get your shocked faces ready

Now that the police have been authorized to use pepper spray and make very strong, rapid arrests, I'm going to bet a shiny nickel that these tactics won't be confined only to those protesters wielding weapons or wearing masks (whatever those undefined terms might come to mean to any individual officer in the hugger-mugger of the interactions between law enforcement and citizens). But the violence by law enforcement, we are assured, will be used only to control violence by others. Right?

[Expecting Rain]

3. So are you suggesting a conspiracy by officials in arguably America's most left-leaning...

city to set up what amounts to a police state?

[gratuitous]

4. I'm suggesting

I'm suggesting that the undefined phrases "wielding weapons" and "wearing masks" will accrue a very elastic meaning as far as the police are concerned once things break down. "Weapons" will stretch to include people taking cell phone video, for example, and "masks" will include people choking on tear gas who cover their mouths while they cough.