Berkeley teacher claims self-defense in Neo-Nazi attack
Former Berkeley teacher Yvette Felarca (right) in Sacramento County Superior Court facing riot and assault charges. Aug. 10, 2017
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KTVU) - A Berkeley teacher facing assault charges in connection with a violent protest last summer at the state capitol, wants the charges dropped.
A small group rallied on Thursday in support of Yyvette Felarca as she appeared in court in Sacramento. They were among the counter protestors arrested after a clash with neo-Nazi demonstrators last year. Felarca was spotted in a video that appears to show her attacking a man.
She's now defended her actions, saying she was acting in self-defense. Her attorney is blaming police.
Felarca is an organizer for the activist group By Any Means Necessary. She and two others were charged with riot and assault charges. The Berkeley Unified School District place her on leave in the fall.
The judge has continued the case until October.