INTERVIEW – HAYDEN WILLIAMS – Leadership Institute Field Representative

• Conservative activist Hayden Williams was brutally assaulted last Tuesday while recruiting for the conservative non-profit organization Turning Point USA at UC Berkeley. Video footage of the altercation shows a man wearing a black shirt and pants angrily accosting Williams, a campus representative for the Leadership Institute. The assailant shouted obscenities at Williams, knocked his phone out of his hand, and punched him in the face. He accused Williams of “encouraging violence” just before laying into him. The man punched the conservative several times, causing injuries to his face, including a black eye and bloody nose.
• UC Berkeley Police Seeking Felony Warrant from DA for Suspect in Assault on Conservative. (PJ Media) — Following a week-long investigation, the University of California Police Department (UCPD) announced Tuesday evening that it is seeking a felony warrant from the Alameda County district attorney for the identified suspect in the February 19 assault of a conservative activist on campus. UCPD said that “the District Attorney will evaluate the case” and if the DA issues a warrant, they will “immediately pursue the suspect’s arrest.”
• Hayden Williams on the incident: I am a field rep for the Leadership Institute and I help train conservative students on college campuses across CA. (Recruit new members and train groups that support conservative values). Last Tuesday I was invited by a conservative group to come the Berkeley campus and help recruit new members.  Somebody took offense to our sign that said “Hate Crime Hoaxes Hurt Real Victims” and said that we were promoting violence. This student and his friend came up to our table erratically and abruptly, which prompted me to start filming for my safety. When I started recording, one of these people knocked my phone out of my hand and flipped over our table then proceeded to tear up our signs and assault me personally. While this was happening, he threatened to shoot me in the middle of Campus. I tried to record the whole thing, but he smacked my phone multiple times. The last time I went to pick it up he started yelling racially charged epithets in my face and then threw a haymaker right after I looked down at my phone. I filed a police report with the UC Berkeley police and I do hope they take it seriously but I’m not optimistic that they will. Over the last few years, there have been several assaults of conservatives at Berkeley – these have been covered by the CampusReform.org. Berkeley has a long track record of not defending conservatives on campus, despite its history of being “home of the Free speech movement.” The person who assaulted me is being hailed as a hero by campus community, many people are told not to snitch on the him. That’s how hostile campuses are to conservatives. People think it’s totally justified to violently attack conservatives because they disagree with their views.”