RantCrush Top 5: April 17, 2017

On Saturday, a confrontation between pro-Trump and anti-Trump protesters in Berkeley, California, turned violent. There were at least 20 arrests, 11 injuries, one stabbing, and police confiscated a lot of makeshift weapons. One of the confiscated items was “weaponized Pepsi”–essentially, cans filled with concrete. That’s kind of ironic given Pepsi’s controversial “peace” commercial from a few weeks ago.

This is the third time that protests in Berkeley have turned violent this year, and although weapons were banned, fistfights broke out and many protesters brought pepper spray. A citizen militia dressed in security gear showed up to protect the Trump supporters. And a video of white supremacist Nathan Damigo, who founded the organization “Identity Europa,” punching a female anti-Trump protester in the face sparked outrage after it went viral. The woman he punched, Louise Rosealma, has reportedly received rape and death threats online since the protest took place.

How Berkeley became epicenter of violent Trump clashes https://t.co/hB3VKozS0q pic.twitter.com/sSpBnY33yJ

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) April 17, 2017

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.