BERKELEY — UC Berkeley police on Friday said that they have identified a "potential suspect" who punched a volunteer who was distributing information about a conservative students group on campus.
Police said, "the suspect is not a student at, or affiliate of the University."
"I was absolutely horrified. I feel like this is something that I've never really seen at Sproul," said Arda Erbil, the student who recorded part of the encounter on Tuesday. "I know there's a lot of political tension going on, but I've never been around for those events."
Williams told police that he had been "tabling" for Turning Point USA when two men approached him and an argument ensued. At that point, Williams started filming the altercation on his phone. One of the men flipped over the group's table, knocked the cellphone from Williams hand and punched him several times, according to the police.
The table had a sign that said "Hate Crime Hoaxes Hurt Real Victims," according to TV station KPIX. It was an apparent reference to the Jussie Smollett case in which the actor has been charged for allegedly fabricating that he was attacked by assailants hurling racial and homophobic slurs.