UC Davis chancellor falsely claimed TPUSA's Charlie Kirk 'advocated for violence against transgender individuals'—then Antifa mob attacked campus during speaking event

In response to Turning Point USa’ Live Free Tour stop at UC Davis on Tuesday evening, University of California Davis Chancellor Gary May issued a video to students in which he claimed that Turning Point USA founder and president Charlie Kirk "has advocated for violence against transgender individuals." Kirk has never done so.

"Many of you have reached out to me and others regarding tonight's event organized by the registered student organization, Turning Point USA, or TPUSA, at UC Davis," a video from May began. 

After May's video repeating the false claims that Kirk was calling for "lynching," Antifa went to UC Davis to protest TPUSA, bringing violence and vandalism, on Tuesday evening.

Riot police took down Antifa surrounding the UC Davis Charlie Kirk event sponsored by TPUSA.  Antifa members were spotted smashing windows and doors on campus and vandalizing the campus. The militants also blocked students and members of the public from entering the university to attend the event.

May's video had offered the false claims that were repeated, and believed, by the activists who took their violence to campus.

"Thank you for sharing your distress at a student group hosting a speaker who is a well-documented proponent of misinformation and hate and who has advocated for violence against transgender individuals," May said in the video ahead of the mayhem.

May said that under University of California policy, "campuses may not prohibit student organizations such as TPUSA from inviting these speakers. Even if the speaker's intended speech is loathsome and hurtful to me and to others in our campus community."

"With respect to concerns related to violence, UC policy permits denial of request if the speaker will present a clear and present danger to the campus. Our council also notes that there is a similarly heavy burden for criminal prosecution for incitement of violence.

"Please be assured that we are monitoring the event closely to determine if a threat or incitement develops that meets that threshold. We can't control how these groups operate, but we can work together to neutralize and negate their influence. So having to speak to an empty room would make a powerful statement," May concluded.

A petition, which has garnered 546 signatures, was started to pressure May into canceling the UC Davis tour stop.

In a suggested draft letter for students to send to May, it claims that Kirk "recently stated on a podcast that trans peopole (sic) should be 'took care of,' 'the way we used to in the 1950s and 60s.'"

The letter’s claim came from a February episode of the Charlie Kirk show, in which Kirk spoke with former University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines, who has been outspoken in her experience of swimming against biological male University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas.

Gaines told Kirk about female NCAA athletes not being told that they "would be sharing a changing space with someone who was fully intact with male genitalia," and recalled herself and others feeling "extremely uncomfortable" and "traumatized."

"I mean, these people are sick," Kirk later responded, "and I don’t say that lightly."

"The NCAA is a perverted organization, they platformed a biological male who won a national championship and then was allowed, in incredibly disturbing detail, to be around you and your fellow competitors."

"And again, I blame the decline of American men, this never should have been, you know … someone should have just took care of it the way we used to take care of things in the 1950s or 60s … look, there are a lot of sick people in the world, unfortunately, and without the strength to go against them, the country is going to completely totally fall apart," he said.

Later in the episode, Kirk read out emails from viewers, one of which read, "Charlie, I agree with out. If it was my daughter, I would have been arrested for certain. The fix is very simple, if all the female swimmers boycotted the swim meets, they have no choice but to listen."

"Look, you got to have self-control and self-restraint. Obviously, we’ve never advocated for violence on this program, nor is that not the answer, and I encourage everyone to remain peaceful," Kirk said.

Another email read, "Charlie, I heard your segment on the trans swimmer. It’s time that we no longer tolerate this and we take matters into our own hands."

"Okay, look, I want to be clear. Don’t be stupid. You’ve got to work within the law, which means you have to be peaceful," Kirk responded.

In an opinion piece for the Sacramento Bee, writer Hannah Holzer claimed that Kirk has "called for the lynching of trans people," citing a tweet from transgender reporter and activist Erin Reed.

"Charlie Kirk, CEO of Turning Point USA, is openly calling for the lynching of transgender individuals," Reed wrote, citing the Kirk segment with Gaines. "Says that trans people should be 'dealt with' like men did 'in the 50s and 60s’ He's the latest major conservative calling for violence against us."

https://sacbee.com/opinion/article273103235.html

In response to the Sacramento Bee piece, Kirk wrote on Twitter, "This is defamation and libel. We will sue unless it is corrected. Left wing rags like the SacBee are allowed to platform lies against conservatives and get away with it. Time for lawfare."

"Here’s the truth," Kirk continued. "Swimmer Riley Gaines joined my show and told how Lia Thomas exposed himself in the girls' locker room. I said we 'should go back to the 50s and 60s' meaning local law enforcement would have interceded, or parents would have boycotted the event."

"I never once used the word 'lynching' nor did it even cross my mind," he added. "In fact, I called specifically for PEACE, but they don't want you to see that part."

Later, the reporter deleted the tweet.

Ahead of the Live Free Tour stop, a statue on UC Davis’ campus has been vandalized, with the red graffiti stating, "no fash" and "no Kirk," as well as displaying the anarchist A symbol and the Antifa three arrow symbol.

Antifa groups in the area have called for members to protest the event, with a flyer declaring "no fascists in Davis!"

"Far right group Turning Point USA has invited their homophobic, transphobic, and racist founter Charlie Kirk to speak at the UC Davis campus on March 14. Let’s show them they aren’t welcome here," the flyer continued.

The flyer states that people should meet up at 5 pm Pacific Time at the Cradit Union Center and "bring signs, wear a mask, and be ready to make noise." Attendees are told to "travel in groups and be safe."