A $50,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of a man captured on video punching a conservative activist at a university in California.
The Citizens United Foundation said it is offering $50,000 made possible “through the generosity of an anonymous donor.”
The foundation said people should contact it with information and it would pass on the information to the University of California, Berkeley Police Department.
Video footage from the university’s campus showed activist Hayden Williams being punched in the face twice and shoved by an unidentified man on Feb. 19.
LEFTIST VIOLENCE ON CAMPUS
While recruiting for our @TPUSA group at UC Berkeley a leftist thug comes & assaults our activists punching him in the face & hitting him repeatedly
Imagine if the attacker was wearing MAGA hat, would be national news!
This is the violent left!
RT! pic.twitter.com/7RjbCPUcDf
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) February 21, 2019
Williams, who is not a student at the university, was helping out at a table for the conservative group Turning Point USA (TPUSA).
TPUSA President Charlie Kirk posted video footage on his Twitter account: “While recruiting for our group at UC Berkeley a leftist thug comes & assaults our activists punching him in the face & hitting him repeatedly. Imagine if the attacker was wearing MAGA hat, would be national news!” Kirk wrote. “This is the violent left!”
The assault took place after two males approached the table and one of them slapped away Williams’ phone when the activist started recording them berating him.
While the victim tried to get his phone back, the assailant punched the victim several times. Benny Johnson, chief creative officer for TPUSA, said that Williams “sustained massive injuries” and was hospitalized.
A message from campus leaders in condemnation of violence https://t.co/bEA9le5OQk
— UC Berkeley (@UCBerkeley) February 21, 2019
In a statement, UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ and Vice Chancellor Stephen Sutton said that the footage showed “a reprehensible incident.”
“According to the police, an unknown, unidentified assailant attacked a Berkeley student engaged in political advocacy. Let there be no mistake, we strongly condemn violence and harassment of any sort, for any reason. That sort of behavior is intolerable and has no place here. Our commitment to freedom of expression and belief is unwavering,” the officials stated.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who was hospitalized by his neighbor in an unprovoked attack over politics, said that the attack was “abhorrent behavior against free speech on campus.
He added: “No form of violence is acceptable!”
My friend, Hayden, wants to thank all of you for the love and support. He’s giving you a wink, and wanted to let you know you’ll be hearing from him soon! pic.twitter.com/6kPmFZgQgz
— Brad Devlin (@bradleydevlin) February 21, 2019
Williams, the victim, was seen in a picture shared by his friend with his left eye severely swelled. “My friend, Hayden, wants to thank all of you for the love and support. He’s giving you a wink, and wanted to let you know you’ll be hearing from him soon!” Williams’s friend, Brad Devlin, wrote.
Campus police later said that officers had identified the suspect, but more than a week later, the man, who was also said to be a nonstudent, had not been arrested.
Kirk told Fox News on Tuesday that he’s surprised the suspect hasn’t been arrested.
“I don’t understand why there’s no public arrest file on this guy. If he had been wearing a Make America Great Again hat and had punched a liberal in the face there’d be nationwide outrage and a manhunt to find him. The whole thing is crazy.”
Berkeley: Police Are Conducting ‘Additional Investigative Work’ on Assault of Conservative Activist https://t.co/0CbsRUe4Dz
— David Rutz (@DavidRutz) February 28, 2019
UC Berkeley police told Fox that there were no new updates to report since the update on Feb. 22.
In an update on Tuesday, the UC Berkeley press office said that the university police had concluded its investigation.
“Based on the results of that investigation, the department is seeking a felony warrant from the Alameda County District Attorney for the identified suspect. The District Attorney will evaluate the case. If the warrant is issued, UCPD will immediately pursue the suspect’s arrest,” the university stated.
But Alameda County Deputy District Attorney Teresa Drenick told the Washington Free Beacon on Wednesday, “The matter has not yet been formally submitted for consideration of charging and the investigation is ongoing.”
“We have been in touch with the DA, and our police force is now doing some additional investigative work necessary for a determination of charges and/or the issuance of a warrant for the suspect’s arrest,” she added.
