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Did Antifa cause riots in San Diego? Shocking video shows mob in black carrying 'Ashli Babbitt deserved it' board

A group of counter-demonstrators holding sticks and bats showed up to face the pro-Trump group, and at times the tense exchanges turned violent

Counter-protesters and supporters of President Donald Trump clashed violently at a rally in Pacific Beach, San Diego, California on Saturday, December 9, with police ordering people to leave the area. One of the protesters carried a signboard which read, 'Ashli Babbitt deserved it'.

The protest event, described in flyers as a “Patriot March,” took place along Ocean Front Walk and began early December 9 afternoon. A group of counter-demonstrators including members of anti-fascist groups, clad in all black and holding sticks or bats — showed up to face the pro-Trump group, and at times the tense exchanges turned violent.

At one point, a line of counter-protesters advanced on a smaller group of people from the Patriot March, shouting and telling them to leave. One member of the group, who was clothed in all black with their face masked, pulled out a can of chemicals and sprayed it at some Trump supporters’ faces, while another protester was seen throwing a folding chair at a Trump supporter. Some of the counter-protesters waved flags declaring themselves anti-fascists or Antifa.

KSWB-TV photojournalist Paul Makarushka captured the moment when a horde of apparent Antifa members, at least one wielding a baseball bat, converged upon a group of conservatives. He wrote: "Trump supporters clash with BLM and antifa on the boardwalk in PB. Heavy police presence some fights and scuffles. Pepper spray etc (not from pd). @fox5sandiego".

Around 2.30 pm, groups of officers in riot gear separated huge portions of the two sides on opposite ends of the intersection at Mission Boulevard and Hornblend Street. Shortly before 3 pm, policemen said officers had been hit with a glass bottle and that eggs were being thrown in their direction. Around that time, the San Diego Police Department announced that the gathering is an unlawful assembly, “due to acts of violence.” Protesters were asked to leave and locals were asked to avoid the area, and cops said that the people living nearby could “risk exposure to chemical agents and less-lethal force.”

This violence came after a brutal protest at the US Capitol on Wednesday, January 6, where a pro-Trump crowd breached congressional security and disrupted the process of confirming President-elect Joe Biden’s victory. 35-year-old Ashli Babbitt was a resident of San Diego, who worked as an Air Force Vet. She lost her life after getting shot during the Capitol Hill protest. The day before she was fatally shot, Babbitt tweeted, “Nothing will stop us… they can try and try and try but the storm is here and it is descending upon DC in less than 24 hours… dark to light."

An Internet user slammed the protesters for carrying out Ashli Babbitt's name and said, "@GovInslee Democrats had an event at Pacific Beach in San Diego yesterday. One of them held a sign saying Capitol Hill protester Ashli Babbitt deserved to die. Thought you should see what your friends are up to."  Sharing a picture another one wrote, "Pro-Trump and anti-fascist demonstrators clash in Pacific Beach in San Diego."

Sharing a video, another one said, "This happened to us yesterday in the alley when no one was looking in #PacificBeach during the protest-our housing insecure neighbors were so scared." Another one said, "Why do these Nazis go to liberal Pacific Beach to March? Why don’t they March in their own neighborhoods? Do It in Santee or Lakeside."