The Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced an investigation into the University of California, Berkeley, following recent “mob violence” by Antifa protesters outside a Turning Point USA (TPUSA) event.
Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division, made an announcement regarding a letter sent to UC Berkeley Police Chief Yogananda Pittman. The letter requests that Pittman “preserve all records” pertaining to the police’s preparation, execution, and response to the TPUSA event and the related protests.
“The @CivilRights Division, led by @AGPamBondi, has asked the UC Berkeley Police Department to preserve all documentation connected to the response to the mob violence at the TPUSA event,” Dhillon noted. “Everyone in America deserves to participate in events without fear.”
The letter highlights that the situation surrounding the TPUSA event “could reflect the University of California’s commitment to providing adequate security.” It seems to suggest a need for accountability regarding safety measures during campus events.
The DOJ’s Civil Rights Division has recently come to know about an incident that occurred around November 10, 2026, at UC Berkeley. These events may indicate the university’s adherence to security measures as outlined in a 2018 settlement agreement. Our office had previously looked into potential violations of Title VI and Title VII across the University of California System due to other events and will consider if the November 10 events should be included in these investigations. We’re also assessing if recent occurrences necessitate further investigation into violations of federal rights, including possible breaches of the First and Fourteenth Amendments.
Dhillon also detailed that the request for preserving all records connected to the violence at the TPUSA event encompasses, but isn’t limited to, all written or electronic communications from the UC Berkeley Campus Police regarding the incident for about the past year, along with “pre-event planning minutes and communications with internal or external groups” associated with the event.
The letter to Pittman was triggered by video footage that circulated on social media, showing masked Antifa protesters lighting flares and chanting against perceived fascists during the protests.
In response to the situation at Berkeley, Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that Antifa poses an “existential threat” to the country. She emphasized that the Justice Department “will spare no expense” in identifying those involved in instigating political violence.
“Antifa is an existential threat to our country,” Bondi expressed in a post.
