UC Berkeley conservative students face violent protests at TPUSA event

Members of the Turning Point USA (TPUSA) chapter at UC-Berkeley spoke with Fox News Digital about how they dealt with being conservative on campus while their organization was attracting protests.

“Last week was very busy and crazy with protesters everywhere, with signs everywhere calling us fascists, and just trying to work with the university to have a successful event. But we pulled it off, and we had a really good turnout,” said Jean-Paul Leon, president of the school’s TPUSA chapter.

Chaos erupted near UC Berkeley Monday evening while Lyon was holding an event called “This Is the Turning Point” featuring author Frank Turek and actor Rob Schneider.

Left-wing agitators gathered in the Zellerbach Hall where the event was held. A man was seen in a widely circulated video assaulting a TPUSA supporter near the campus and was later arrested, according to local police.

Protesters are seen outside a Turning Point USA event at UC Berkeley holding signs as police secure the perimeter on November 10, 2025. (Elizabeth Hickman/Fox News)

Berkeley Police Department Fox News Digital said officers saw two men fighting at approximately 5:00 p.m. local time. There were several other arrests related to the campus event.

Inside the bloody chaos of Berkeley as protesters took off during the Turning Point USA event

Martin Bertau, junior at Berkeley and president College Republicans The United States described the atmosphere as “certainly hostile.”

“The day Charlie was killed on campus, we had people rallying in front of the College Republicans and for a turning point, and people on campus were celebrating his death, telling us he deserved it,” Bertau said.

“In our classes when we speak up as conservatives, we are ostracized,” he added, claiming that conservatives are evaluated by graduate students’ teachers.

Bertau said he no longer felt safe on campus after the violent protest earlier in the week.

“They came to a head last night with people resorting to violence, with people beating up Trump supporters and people beating up those who were in line for the Tipping Point event,” Bertau said.

Police arrest a protester outside a Turning Point USA event at UC Berkeley on November 10, 2025. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

One of the men was wearing a red T-shirt that said “Freedom” in a style similar to the one Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk wore when he was… Assassinated In Utah on September 10th. This man was left beaten and bloodied.

UC Berkeley chaos beyond tipping point ends with multiple arrests while conservative event goes smoothly

“We were safe in and around the venue because security and law enforcement did a great job keeping the protesters at bay,” Leon said.

He added: “But in the surroundings, it was not safe. There was definitely violence from the protesters. I know a lot of people got into fist fights and there was a lot of chaos and mayhem. So it’s definitely not a fun experience, as the attendees are still afraid of the protesters, even though they are inside the venue.”

Leon explained to Fox News Digital how he navigated campus when he was president of the TPUSA chapter.

“I definitely have to be careful. When I’m walking on campus, I’m not staring at my phone and just ignoring my surroundings. I think the term for that is, ‘I always keep my head on a swivel,’ so to speak… I’m probably not as scared as some of my friends and family members. I’ve kind of been here because this is my third year here. So, I know what to expect. I know that sometimes you feel insensitive to everyone,” Leon said.

Other TPUSA members at UC Berkeley said Fox News Digital How they felt about the increased attention the organization was receiving in the wake of Kirk’s assassination. Kirk’s assassination while speaking at Utah Valley University sparked great interest across the country in starting new TPUSA chapters in high schools and colleges.

Miguel Muniz, president of the UC Berkeley Republicans and president of the California College Republicans, told Fox News Digital that he was caught up in the disaster that occurred outside a TPUSA event.

A bloody brawl breaks out as instigators protest a TPUSA event at UC Berkeley in California

“I couldn’t be more grateful to the law enforcement that came out that day in those circumstances, you know, certainly not a safe environment with all the protesters out there,” Muniz said.

Turning point: US President John Paul Leon and College Republicans President Miguel Muniz. (Fox News Digital)

“It’s definitely not a friendly environment for us, but we will keep fighting,” Muniz said.

“If you’re just sitting on campus, most of the time it’s clear that you’re not wanted there, you’re not welcome there. You know, people come up, scream, flip you over, spit on you,” he added. “I don’t think you can find a single college Republican chapter in the state where at least one of its members hasn’t been assaulted on campus.”

Muniz is vocal about his opinions in class, despite being outnumbered at a predominantly left-leaning institution. Although he is not ashamed of his beliefs, he says many other conservatives are afraid to speak up.

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“They are silent,” Muniz said. “They are afraid of the leftist liberals who know me because of my social media… They yell at me in class, they cry in political science class.”

“I’m doing what I have to do. As much as I think everyone has an obligation to come out and say what they want to say, I can’t blame the students for not doing that,” Muniz said.

UC Berkeley issued a statement to Fox News Digital affirming its commitment to free expression and safety.

“Our university is committed to an open and robust marketplace of ideas and to maintaining a campus where people of all beliefs and perspectives can feel safe and respected,” UC Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons told Fox News Digital.

He added: “In the weeks and months leading up to Monday’s events, UC Berkeley administration worked closely with event organizers to plan the event. UCPD enlisted numerous law enforcement agencies to assist with the security and management of the event. As a result, an estimated 900 people were able to attend the event, which continued uninterrupted. As is clear from the video of the event, the dialogue within the event was civil and engaging, even among those who disagreed with each other.”

Lyons further explained that UCPD is conducting its own investigation and cooperating with federal officials, including a visit from Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon.

“UC Berkeley is committed to continuing to host speakers and events that represent a diverse range of viewpoints in a safe and respectful manner,” Lyons said. “We will continue to evaluate our policies and practices to ensure we continue to support open dialogue and the rule of law on our campus.”

Fox News’ Alexander Hall contributed to this report.