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April 15 “Battle of Berkeley” was a self-described test run
https://ww2.kqed.org/news/2017/08/14/californian-who-helped-organize-charlottesville-protests-used-berkeley-as-a-test-run/
"Before white nationalists protested in Charlottesville over the weekend, before a man allegedly plowed a car into a group of people killing one and injuring at least 19, violent clashes in Berkeley offered a window into the motives and tactics of Identity Evropa, one of the white supremacist groups intimately involved in both protests.
For leaders of this white nationalist movement, the April 15 “Battle of Berkeley” was a self-described test run to see just how far they could push the bounds of protesting, according to numerous public statements from members of the white supremacist movement.
Nathan Damigo is a founder of the California-based Identity Evropa, profiled by El Tecolote newspaper in December. A former Marine infantryman and convicted felon who lives in Stanislaus County, Damigo is being credited with helping to lead the Charlottesville protest, along with other white supremacists rallies around the country. Damigo has made these rallies a key driver for recruiting new members of the group.
Damigo, 31, said his group is engaged in peaceful, First-Amendment protected protests. But before Charlottesville, Damigo was probably best known for punching a 19-year-old woman in the face in Berkeley. That moment was captured on video.
In the video, Damigo — sporting a hipster haircut, collared shirt and clenched fists — runs up to a young, dreadlocked woman holding a camera and punches her.
Over the course of multiple, hour-long interviews over several months Damigo told KQED he punched the woman because she was a threat; because she was going to attack his friends; because she was a member of Antifa, a leftist confederation of socialists and anarchists – some of whom have committed acts of violence and arson.
Essentially, Damigo said he punched her because he had to.
“She joined this organization and came with her local gang from Southern California, according to statements that she made on social media, to disrupt the events and to acquire scalps,” he said. “Furthermore, she was swinging around bottles, which is a deadly weapon, a foot long wine bottle at people.”
That’s not what KQED witnessed at the scene of the attack, however.
What began with Damigo shouting provocative calls into a megaphone quickly turned into an all out street brawl. Damigo was screaming “hold the line,” “guard the flank” and “advance!”
Damigo violently moved through the crowd. Smoke bombs and flash grenades and glass bottles were thrown. Thick tear gas filled the air. Leftist protesters, many of them aging men, were beat up. Police were hit with firecrackers. At one point, Antifa (wearing black hoodies and masks) and the far right (wearing red hats, flag capes, and paramilitary armor) fought over who could control a dumpster that was pushed down the street.
Damigo found himself outside of the roaring street brawl he helped create. Alone for a moment, he stopped in the middle of the street. Then, Damigo ran across the street, right up to the woman, and hit her. After she fell, Damigo turned, smiled and jumped back into the rolling scuffles.
Damigo’s involvement in the “Battle of Berkeley” is an important moment for the white supremacist movement because it attracted supporters from around the country.
“A large amount of the violence that has occurred may be due to the inroads we are making,” Damigo told an interviewer after the Berkeley events.
(cont)
"Before white nationalists protested in Charlottesville over the weekend, before a man allegedly plowed a car into a group of people killing one and injuring at least 19, violent clashes in Berkeley offered a window into the motives and tactics of Identity Evropa, one of the white supremacist groups intimately involved in both protests.
For leaders of this white nationalist movement, the April 15 “Battle of Berkeley” was a self-described test run to see just how far they could push the bounds of protesting, according to numerous public statements from members of the white supremacist movement.
Nathan Damigo is a founder of the California-based Identity Evropa, profiled by El Tecolote newspaper in December. A former Marine infantryman and convicted felon who lives in Stanislaus County, Damigo is being credited with helping to lead the Charlottesville protest, along with other white supremacists rallies around the country. Damigo has made these rallies a key driver for recruiting new members of the group.
Damigo, 31, said his group is engaged in peaceful, First-Amendment protected protests. But before Charlottesville, Damigo was probably best known for punching a 19-year-old woman in the face in Berkeley. That moment was captured on video.
In the video, Damigo — sporting a hipster haircut, collared shirt and clenched fists — runs up to a young, dreadlocked woman holding a camera and punches her.
Over the course of multiple, hour-long interviews over several months Damigo told KQED he punched the woman because she was a threat; because she was going to attack his friends; because she was a member of Antifa, a leftist confederation of socialists and anarchists – some of whom have committed acts of violence and arson.
Essentially, Damigo said he punched her because he had to.
“She joined this organization and came with her local gang from Southern California, according to statements that she made on social media, to disrupt the events and to acquire scalps,” he said. “Furthermore, she was swinging around bottles, which is a deadly weapon, a foot long wine bottle at people.”
That’s not what KQED witnessed at the scene of the attack, however.
What began with Damigo shouting provocative calls into a megaphone quickly turned into an all out street brawl. Damigo was screaming “hold the line,” “guard the flank” and “advance!”
Damigo violently moved through the crowd. Smoke bombs and flash grenades and glass bottles were thrown. Thick tear gas filled the air. Leftist protesters, many of them aging men, were beat up. Police were hit with firecrackers. At one point, Antifa (wearing black hoodies and masks) and the far right (wearing red hats, flag capes, and paramilitary armor) fought over who could control a dumpster that was pushed down the street.
Damigo found himself outside of the roaring street brawl he helped create. Alone for a moment, he stopped in the middle of the street. Then, Damigo ran across the street, right up to the woman, and hit her. After she fell, Damigo turned, smiled and jumped back into the rolling scuffles.
Damigo’s involvement in the “Battle of Berkeley” is an important moment for the white supremacist movement because it attracted supporters from around the country.
“A large amount of the violence that has occurred may be due to the inroads we are making,” Damigo told an interviewer after the Berkeley events.
(cont)
https://ww2.kqed.org/news/2017/08/14/californian-who-helped-organize-charlottesville-protests-used-berkeley-as-a-test-run/
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