UC assault injures right-wing advocate

In a stark video showing what appeared to be an assault, a man was shoved and punched in the face at UC Berkeley this week while advertising for a conservative cause at a table on the main campus plaza, police said Wednesday.

The battery was reported at 3:29 p.m. on Tuesday to campus police, who found the victim suffering from facial injuries.

Two men had approached the victim, identified Thursday as Hayden Williams, who had been advertising at a table in the plaza for the conservative group Turning Point USA, and began arguing with him, according to police. The victim started filming the encounter.

One of the men knocked the phone out of his hand, knocked down the table, and then hit the victim several times, authorities said.

In an email sent to the campus community, Chancellor Carol Christ said it appeared that the victim was a Berkeley student, and she condemned the attack.

“Let there be no mistake: We strongly condemn violence and harassment of any sort, for any reason,” Christ said.

Later in the day, the victim’s employer, the Leadership Institute, said he was not a student, and university officials said they were now not sure whether he was or not.

“I know it was a student group, but I have no idea whether he was a student or visitor,” said university spokesman Dan Mogulof.

Their enrollment statuses would not affect the investigation, authorities said.

“It’s stifling and chilling free speech, and students are afraid to express themselves,” said Bryan Bernys, a vice president of campus programs at the Leadership Institute, which trains conservative advocates.

Williams declined to comment.

The university settled a lawsuit from conservative groups alleging discrimination against campus speakers in December, paying $70,000 to the Berkeley College Republicans and Young America’s Foundation for attorney fees.