The Department of Justice has launched a sweeping federal investigation into the violent leftist demonstrations that erupted at the University of California, Berkeley, this week — a flashpoint that once again puts Antifa and the nation’s deepening ideological divides under the microscope.
Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed Tuesday that the DOJ, under the direction of President Donald Trump, has initiated a full probe into Monday night’s UC Berkeley riot, with the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force leading the operation. “Antifa is an existential threat to our nation,” Bondi declared in a post on X. “We will continue to spare no expense unmasking all who commit and orchestrate acts of political violence.”
At least two people detained after violence breaks out at a #TurningPointUSA event at #ucberkeley Our crews say tensions are growing as the number of protesters grow #ktvu pic.twitter.com/r8YuYvcqgr
— Claudine Wong (@ClaudineKTVU) November 11, 2025
The incident, which unfolded outside a Turning Point USA event — the final stop of the “This is the Turning Point” tour begun by the late Charlie Kirk — saw masked agitators clashing with attendees hours before the event began. Police reported multiple arrests, including two individuals detained during a fistfight, and others for attempting to breach barricades separating demonstrators from the crowd. Videos circulating online show flares, threats, and open harassment aimed at conservative students waiting in line.
The symbolism was stark and painful: this tour began on September 10 at Utah Valley University, where Kirk was assassinated during a campus appearance. That same spirit of political violence, say investigators, reemerged Monday night in Berkeley — a city long synonymous with radical protest and the volatile intersection of activism and anarchy.
Now, the DOJ's Civil Rights Division is also weighing in. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who has previously sued UC Berkeley over its handling of conservative speakers, indicated that serious legal questions are again being raised. “We saw all of this at Berkeley back in 2017,” Dhillon posted. “The @CivilRights will investigate what happened here, and I see several issues of serious concern regarding campus and local security and Antifa’s ability to operate with impunity in CA.”
The 2017 riots at UC Berkeley — where Antifa activists torched campus property, smashed windows, and attacked attendees of a planned speech by Milo Yiannopoulos — led to multiple lawsuits. Those lawsuits accused the university of violating the free speech rights of conservative students by selectively enforcing policies in a way that enabled left-wing disruption. The cases ultimately resulted in settlements and increased national scrutiny.
UC Berkeley currently looks like a war zone.
An ANTIFA member just lit off a flare resulting in TPUSA event attendees being rushed inside.
A car then comes and starts backfiring visibly scaring multiple attendees who feared they were hearing gunshots. @TPUSA | @Savsays pic.twitter.com/u3mG8rJDSx
— FRONTLINES TPUSA (@FrontlinesTPUSA) November 11, 2025
But the reemergence of violent tactics at this week’s TPUSA event suggests that little has changed. While campus officials have condemned the violence, critics argue that institutions like UC Berkeley have done too little to contain the militant activism that continues to surface whenever conservatives attempt to speak publicly.
Under a 2025 executive order signed by President Trump, Antifa is now designated as a domestic terrorist organization — giving federal authorities broader latitude to investigate its funding, coordination, and interstate activities. The group, which bills itself as anti-fascist, has long employed anarchist and militarized tactics, from black bloc formations to direct assaults on perceived political opponents.
“The American people have a right to speak freely, gather peacefully, and attend events without fearing political violence,” Bondi said. “We will not tolerate thuggery disguised as activism.”