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The Student News Site of San Francisco State University

Golden Gate Xpress

The Student News Site of San Francisco State University

Golden Gate Xpress

Berkeley police investigate alumnus connection to rally assault

The Berkeley Police Department is investigating a former Diablo Valley College teacher accused of assaulting a Trump supporter at a protest in Berkeley.

Anonymous users on 4Chan, a public online bulletin board, identified philosophy professor Eric Clanton as the masked man who hit a Trump supporter over the head with a bike lock at a Patriot’s Day rally on April 15.

Users started a discussion thread on the website’s “/pol/ Politically Incorrect” board and later released the information on the board’s Twitter account. After the incident, 4Chan anonymous users posted Clanton’s personal information on Twitter, such as his home address, job locations and OK Cupid profile.

On April 19, a tweet from “/pol/ News Network” mistakenly identified Clanton as an SF State professor, however, SF State spokesperson Mary Kenny denied this.

“Eric Clanton is not an employee of the University,” Kenny said. “He was an instructional student assistant in the philosophy department for one semester during spring semester 2013 and also worked for three semesters as a graduate teaching associate in the philosophy department from August 2013 until January 2015.”

Clanton began teaching at DVC in 2015 but is not working this semester, according to Timothy Leong, Contra Costa Community College District l director of communications and community relations.

According to The Inquirer, Clanton has shut down his social media.

“We are working with Berkeley Police Department, who is the lead on the investigation of the recent altercations that occurred in their city,” Leong said.

 

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  • K

    Kevin MacomberApr 29, 2017 at 8:06 am

    Meanwhile,it appears DVC is misleading the public about their relationship with Clanton. This is from their FB page. “Diablo Valley College has received numerous inquiries regarding an individual allegedly assaulting another person at a City of Berkeley protest on April 15, 2017. The College wants to be clear that the alleged individual is not a current employee of the Contra Costa Community College District.”

    Reply
  • J

    JZHApr 25, 2017 at 9:29 pm

    DVC’s Timothy Leong (Contra Costa Community College District director of communications and community relations) should have at least been asked if he was being suspended pending an investigation or fired? This is not good enough. Little FCUK.

    Reply
  • J

    John McDowellApr 25, 2017 at 1:14 pm

    This is all good and interesting, but what does this have to do with John McDowell?

    Reply
  • F

    Famous Internet GuyApr 25, 2017 at 11:11 am

    This guy needs more than an arrest. He needs to go to prison.
    https://youtu.be/9qKCl9NL1Cg
    2:00 He hits hits guy with a blue helmet and blue shirt
    2:10 He hits hits guy with a black shield
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbJ3mThW_2o
    He hits the green bicycle helmet guy at 0:37
    He hits the green military style helmet at 0:53
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNH19O8E5IQ
    Slow motion, hits guy in blue shirt with green bicycle helmet
    At 1:12 he breaks military style green helmet
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiRHocgNY6o
    In this video he can be seen smacking more people over the head with his lock, fortunately his mask comes off
    https://www.liveleak.com/view?i=9d5_1492400261
    Here is video of him smashing people over the head at Milo riot…
    twitter.com/dancalbear/status/827012870785282048

    Reply
  • C

    CuccNiBBaApr 24, 2017 at 10:17 pm

    When will the lefties learn

    Reply
  • D

    DaniApr 24, 2017 at 4:19 pm

    He severely hurt the man in the red shirt for no reason! In other videos, you can also see him using a lock as a weapon, bringing it from over his head and wailing it down on other Trump supporters. This ethics ‘teacher’ and his work in political philosophy of mass incarceration needs to start being done from the inside of a prison. He’s extremely violent and was committing or trying to commit mayhem – he was not caring how much or how severely he was injuring people – whose only crimes were having differing opinions and supporting our US President.

    It’s really quite strange to see him just pop out and throw that lock at that man’s head for no reason, except to injure him for speaking. What kind of deviant does that and what sick thrill did he get doing it? The man was of no threat to him. He’s the same way in other videos – he’s such a coward opportunist – only when he’s safe and under no threat does he strike out violently on an unsuspecting target – or on an already vulnerable/subdued person – with his lock.

    Thank you to all who worked on unmasking this violent coward!

    Reply
  • R

    Rudy R.Apr 24, 2017 at 3:08 pm

    Hope the victim is ok. But from the video it shows him cowaring behind a fat man chick. Then right in the frame Eric Clanton swung that steel lock with such force I’m surprised the victim didn’t drop n die right there. Stanton force was a clear attempt the mame, someone.
    Since they are throwing bricks, M80s, full bottle of wine…moldy locks tried to kill someone, she was stuffing the bottles with M 80s then throwing at people. Murder was on their minds Antifa.

    Reply
  • T

    tonykeywestApr 24, 2017 at 1:18 pm

    \\ALTERCATIONS// Breaking someones head with a bike lock is an altercation? No its aggravated battery, a hate crime and possibly an act of domestic terrorism.

    Reply
  • J

    Jaques De MolayApr 24, 2017 at 12:16 pm

    Exposing Antifa for the murderers they are. They´re the heirs of the weather underground, and are already talking in their forums about using guns.

    Reply
  • C

    Chris RockfordApr 24, 2017 at 10:49 am

    Not included here is the mention of the other four guys he hit with the lock. The worst was a hit to a guy wearing a black police or correspondent type helmet. Clear video shows that he hit the helmet hard enough to shear a six inch chunk off of the side of it. The other assaults were either helmet or body shots. The Trump supporters are portrayed in the news as looking for a fight when they show up with protective gear. The sad reality is that showing up without a helmet is just plain negligence. If the bike lock doesn’t get you, the rocks, sticks, steel poles, bottles, brass knuckles or 1/4 sticks of dynamite will. Sorry, I forgot to mention bricks and getting boot stomped by 10 people. Fatalities are coming soon.

    Reply
  • J

    Jack SApr 24, 2017 at 9:25 am

    Great job 4Chan!

    Reply
  • W

    WuWuApr 23, 2017 at 9:47 pm

    This article goes light on the real story which was an Antifa protester slamming his “bike lock” to the head to a Trump supporter. This video looks like the Trump supporter is trying to keep the peace, he has his hands up at the beginning of the video. I can’t be sure of the context but that is what it looks like to me.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bANOgKkZlmQ

    I don’t want to falsely accuse anybody but hopefully, the Berkeley Police will step in and investigate. I will say this, I’m no Trump or Trump protest supporter, but I do have a fierce belief in protecting Free Speech! I certainly support Trump supporters right to protest and I support Antifa to counter protest. I would hope that the sides could do this without violence. But this was an incredibly shameful, weak and cowardly act by this Antifa supporter. I’m not sure if Eric Clanton is the perpetrator and if he is if he will be prosecuted. If it is him he is certainly being prosecuted by social media and is probably wishing he never brought his bike lock to Saturday’s rally.

    Reply
  • S

    Santiago MatamorosApr 23, 2017 at 9:08 pm

    Good job Citizen Detectives! Also shame on Berkeley PD, completely uninterested in preventing violent communists and anarchists from rioting.

    Reply
  • P

    PeteApr 23, 2017 at 8:39 pm

    REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

    Reply
  • N

    NateApr 23, 2017 at 6:33 pm

    He needs to be charged, tried & convicted. He is scum who had intent to injure others with his bike lock.

    Reply
  • G

    Gordon SchumwayApr 23, 2017 at 4:59 pm

    All he wanted to do was progressively instruct someone’s skull into their brain with a bike lock because he didn’t like their opinions. I’m not seeing the problem here.

    Reply
  • B

    Ban Ki MoonmanApr 23, 2017 at 4:58 pm

    /pol/ was right again!

    Reply
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Berkeley police investigate alumnus connection to rally assault