A day after San Francisco "anti-hate" protesters celebrated forcing the cancelation of a free speech rally by the group Patriot Prayer because of threatened violence, Antifa took to the streets of Berkeley looking for a fight against "far-right" protesters at a "Say No to Marxism" demonstration.

Not finding anyone to fight with among the peaceful protesters, Antifa thugs attacked anyway.  The result was chaos, thanks to a curious reluctance on the part of Berkeley police to intervene until the lives of the anti-communist protesters were actually in danger.

The rally in Berkeley had actually been canceled on Friday.  But a few people showed up and ended up being assaulted by Antifa anyway.

And where were Berkeley's finest?

Legal Insurrection's Bill Jacobsen:

The San Francisco Chronicle has a timeline of the riots. Here are a couple of the key timeline entries:

1:20 p.m. Tensions rising: Far-left demonstrators wearing black masks and body armor have joined the crowds gathered at Civic Center Park.

Tensions at the park have been on the rise as police in riot gear abandoned their post along a concrete barricade within the park separating the right-wing demonstrators and the counter protesters.

Police are now surrounding the perimeter of the park to deal with masses of counterprotesters who are trying to get in.

1:35 p.m. Hundreds break through: Berkeley police in riot gear stepped aside as hundreds of counterprotesters jumped the barriers around Civic Center park and flooded the place. All very peaceful. One protester said that was "too easy." Fighting broke out and pepper-spray and tear gas filled the air as hundreds of men and women clad in black moved through the park.

Chronicle reporter Lizzie Johnson, who was on scene, tweeted what she experienced and saw, including: "The #Berkeley police have stood down. A sea of black masks as far as I can see. This is what WAS NOT supposed to happen."

Oh, yes it was.  This is exactly what was supposed to happen and was predicted by Joey Gibson of Patriot Prayer and the Berkeley organizer, Amber Cummings.  Both cited fears that police in San Francisco and Berkeley would stand down and allow Antifa to attack.

Here's the "explanation" by the Berkeley police chief for why the cops disappeared:

Berkeley police chief Andrew Greenwood defended how police handled the protest, saying they made a strategic decision to let the anarchists enter to avoid more violence.

Greenwood said to The Associated Press: "the potential use of force became very problematic" given the thousands of peaceful protesters in the park. Once anarchists arrived, it was clear there would not be dueling protests between left and right so he ordered his officers out of the park and allowed the anarchists to march in.

There was "no need for a confrontation over a grass patch," Greenwood said.

...except that "grass patch" was occupied by people the chief and Antifa disagree with politically.  A "strategic" retreat by police allowed Antifa to teach the peaceful protesters a lesson: if you value your life, stay away from Berkeley.

If the police allowing Antifa into the park – actually standing aside and letting violent thugs confront protesters – isn't evidence that the cops chose a side in this protest, I don't know what is.  How could the police chief possibly believe that it was better to let a violent confrontation ensue than not?  Is he brain-dead?  Doesn't he know what Antifa is and what its members do?  The answers are no, and of course he does. 

Even the Washington Post was forced to report the truth: "Black-clad antifa attack peaceful right wing demonstrators in Berkeley."

Their faces hidden behind black bandannas and hoodies, about a 100 anarchists and antifa – "anti-fascist" – barreled into a protest Sunday afternoon in Berkeley's Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park.

Jumping over plastic and concrete barriers, the group melted into a larger crowd of around 2,000 that had marched peacefully throughout the sunny afternoon for a "Rally Against Hate" gathering.

Shortly after, violence began to flare. A pepper-spray wielding Trump supporter was smacked to the ground with homemade shields. Another was attacked by five black-clad antifas, each windmilling kicks and punches into a man desperately trying to protect himself. A conservative group leader retreated for safety behind a line of riot police as marchers chucked water bottles, shot off pepper spray and screamed "fascist go home!"

All told, the Associated Press reported at least five individuals were attacked. An AP reporter witnessed the assaults. Berkeley Police's Lt. Joe Okies told The Washington Post the rally resulted in "13 arrests on a range of charges including assault with a deadly weapon, obstructing a police officer, and various Berkeley municipal code violations."

When civil rights protesters tried to march from Selma, Alabama to the capitol of Montgomery in 1965, they were beaten back by state troopers on the Edmond Pettus bridge.  Undeterred, Martin Luther King organized another march following the same route – only this time, he brought thousands of marchers, daring the police to stop them.

The police gave way, and King and the demonstrators proved a point: determined people can overcome even the most violent opposition if they are peaceful and resolute in exercising their rights.

I suggest that protesters return to San Francisco and Berkeley, only in numbers that will cow the haters and anti-free speech fascists in government and the community.  Showing that we are unafraid will do more to ensure the survival of the First Amendment than anything else.