Turning Point USA ‘Prove Me Wrong’ Table Smashed by Protestors at UC Davis: ‘Police Did Nothing’
A Turning Point USA event in California was disrupted this week when protestors smashed the group’s equipment ahead of a “prove me wrong” event.
The conservative student group descended onto the campus of UC Davis in Yolo County for an event that was to feature guest speaker Brandon Tatum.
Rather than engage with students, Tatum was sidelined when campus demonstrators went after the group’s setup. Turning Point USA claimed in a post on X that property was destroyed and nearly stolen.
The group also posted a video of the tense scene and complained that local police refused to intervene:
Our “Prove Me Wrong” tabling event with @TheOfficerTatum at UC Davis was completely destroyed by violent protesters.
They stole the canopy, ripped down banners, smashed foam boards, and even tried to steal the iPad and laptop of a @tpusastudents field rep.
TPUSA students were shoved and had objects thrown at them—while police did nothing. Only after the damage was done did law enforcement finally form a perimeter. This is the reality of free speech on campus.
Tatum, a former police officer, vented about police in Davis on his X page.
“Police were told to do nothing. As a former cop this has to change!!” he wrote. “Free speech should be protected on campus, period.”
Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk described the scene as a “melee” and said his group was “extremely lucky” there were no injuries:
While our people were under attack, police stood aside and did nothing. Our team is understandably shaken up, but they assure me they will not back down.
UC Davis is probably the most militant school in the country, with the largest Antifa presence. When I spoke there in March of 2023, Antifa foot soldiers vandalized the school, smashed windows and fought the police. What we have is a pattern, with no signs of improvement.
This has gone on long enough. Violent vigilantes like these only fester and grow when they’re allowed to act with impunity like at UC Davis. Arrests need to be made. Radical anarchists will keep resorting to more and more violence if they think doing so will stop conservatives from speaking. UC Davis must credibly show they are willing to protect the constitutional right to free speech and free assembly on a public campus. If they won’t, then the Trump Administration should investigate their continued receipt of federal taxpayer dollars.
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