Amazing footage shot sometime in the past few hours in the early morning of Thursday, February 2. After the riots at UC Berkeley were dispersed, demonstrators made their way to Telegraph Avenue. At some point, more rioting occurred. Ready tellers were smashed at several banks and some banks had most of their windows smashed. Mechanics, Chase, Wells Fargo and Bank of America branches were all vandalized. There were reports that at least four banks had been vandalized. Several fires were set in Telegraph Avenue. At least two banks were on fire near Center Street and Shattuck Avenue.
Graffiti was painted around. Slogans included “Antifa” and “Liberals get the bullet too.” So you can see these are radical Leftists who do not like your average Democratic Party peaceful Women’s March protesters at all.
A Starbucks was attacked by having its windows smashed out with iron bars. Rioters then went inside and looted the Starbucks. They distributed the looted property to people in the crowd. Robin Hood, I guess.
Most of the crowd appears to be just looking and cheering them on. There were a surprising number of young women in the crowd. Call me old-fashioned, but I would say, “That’s no place for a woman to be.”
The scene in that video has an air of menace. That looks like a very dangerous place to be right now. I would not want to be in that crowd. Perhaps they might turn on you. There is an undertone of anger and menace there that I would not want to be around.
When people get like that, they are like sharks who smell blood. You are in the middle of a dangerous, violent riot with some seriously unhinghed people around and there’s no guarantee that they won’t come after you too. These dangerous scenes are unpredictable. The rioters are getting amped up by destroying things, looting business and perhaps assaulting other people earlier. There’s no guarantee that you will be safe if only you appear to be on their side. It’s sort of like being trapped amidst a gang of criminals, but it’s not nearly that bad. But still, the vibe is the same.