17 Arrested At Berkeley Rallies; Fireworks Thrown

BERKELEY, CA —Berkeley police have made at least 17 arrests today as protesters clash around Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park. Amber Gwen Cummings is holding the rally, which started at Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park at noon. Cummings held a "No to Marxism" rally in the same park in August 2017 in which a man was beaten to the ground, among other violent acts.

A counter-protest was also planned. Police were urging all who planned to attend either event to separate themselves from violence and, if it can be done safely, report it to police. Police said there are reports of that someone is throwing fireworks. In videos posted on social media, loud popping sounds can be heard in the crowd.

As of 12:45 p.m., police had arrested Jason Wallach, 49, of Oakland, near Ohlone Park; Kate Brenner, 69, of Oakland, near Hearst/Grant; and Kristin Edith Koster, 50, of Berkeley, near Ohlone Park. All are suspected of possessing a banned weapon, according to police.

The identity of the fourth person arrested has not yet been released.

A group of several hundred people were marching on University Avenue, eastbound from Martin Luther King Jr. Way. Police are advising those traveling in the area to plan for delays and consider alternate routes.

Police on Saturday released a lengthy list of items prohibited at the rally, noting, "These rules are intended to assist those wishing to peaceably express their First Amendment rights."

Sticks, pipes, poles, lengths of lumber or wood, baseball bats, bricks, pepper spray, knives and firearms are some of the items banned at Civic Center and Ohlone parks.

Anyone violating the prohibition will be subject to citation and arrest, authorities said.

"There are concerns that the motivation behind some of the Aug. 5 events is to mark and revive violent conflicts that occurred during protests in Berkeley in 2017, both on the University of California campus and in city parks and streets," police said in a statement.

At least 10 people were arrested in Cummings' 2017 event. A fistfight took place between two people on Martin Luther King Jr. Way near Allston Avenue. A person dressed in black, the hallmark of the infamous Black Bloc, which advocates violence, destroyed another attendee's camera.

--Bay City News/Shutterstock image