General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe peril of demonizing a non-existent organization...
Trump today decreed Antifa to be a domestic terror organization.
Theres just one problem, as anyone could have pointed out for several years: there is no Antifa. As an organization, or even a unified group, it simply doesnt exist and never has. There are a number of groups that support anti-fascist principles these range from the original Iron Front of pre-Nazi Germany to the Emerald City Supporters (the main fan group of the Seattle Sounders of Major League Soccer).
It might be amusing to think of Trump considering a completely non-existent group as terrorists, but I fear that, for the regime and its cult, Antifa will become like porn in other words, we cant define it, but we know it when we see it. Indeed, that sums up the response from MAGAts Ive witnessed on Threads every time someone points out that Antifa doesnt exist; theyre always quick to jump in with their own utterly-confident generalizations: Antifa is those who wear masks and smash windows or Antifa are the extremists who indoctrinate gullible individuals into leftist violence, in the name of fighting fascism.
It doesnt take too much to guess that it will come down to Antifa is any group whose politics we dont like. I wouldnt be surprised to see groups like Indivisible and 50501 being labeled as Antifa, and therefore terrorist and subject to criminal prosecution. We may see as soon as the next No Kings protest on October 18th.
Skittles
(169,097 posts)gee, why IS that?
elleng
(141,926 posts)What a FOOL!!!!
LeftInTX
(34,013 posts)It's just that it's not very active and if it engages in crimes, it is usually Nazi punching or vandalism. Usually it just engages in protest etc. Trump is wasting hot air.
ntifa (/ænˈtiːfə, ˈæntifə/) is a left-wing anti-fascist and anti-racist political movement in the United States. It consists of a highly decentralized array of autonomous groups that use nonviolent direct action, or violence to achieve their aims.[1][2] Antifa political activism includes non-violent methods such as poster and flyer campaigns, mutual aid, speeches, protest marches, and community organizing.[3][4][5] Some who identify as antifa also use tactics involving digital activism, doxing, harassment, physical violence, and property damage. Supporters of the movement aim to combat far-right extremists, including neo-Nazis and white supremacists.[6]
Individuals involved in the movement subscribe to a range of left-wing ideologies, and tend to hold anti-authoritarian, anti-capitalist, and anti-state views. A majority of individuals involved are anarchists, communists, and socialists,[7] although some social democrats also participate in the antifa movement.[5][8][9] The name antifa and the logo with two flags representing anarchism and communism are derived from the German antifa movement.[10] Dartmouth College historian Mark Bray, author of Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook, credits Anti-Racist Action (ARA) as the precursor of modern antifa groups in the United States.[11][12]
The American antifa movement grew after Donald Trump was elected president of the United States in 2016. Antifa activists' actions have since received support and criticism from various organizations and pundits. Some on the political left and some civil rights organizations criticize antifa's willingness to adopt violent tactics, which they describe as counterproductive and dangerous, arguing that these tactics embolden the political right and their allies.[13] Both Democratic and Republican politicians have condemned violence from antifa.[14][15][16][17] Many right-wing politicians and groups have characterized antifa as a domestic terrorist organization or use antifa as a catch-all term[18] for any left-leaning or liberal protest actions.[19] According to some scholars, antifa is a legitimate response to the rise of the far-right.[20][21] Scholars tend to reject an equivalence between antifa and right-wing extremism.[2][22][23][24] Research suggests that most antifa action is nonviolent.[25][26][27]
There have been numerous efforts to discredit antifa by various right-wing groups and individuals.[28][29] Some have been done via hoaxes on social media, many of them false flag operations originating from alt-right and 4chan users posing as antifa backers on Twitter;[30][31][32] some hoaxes have been picked up and portrayed as fact by right-leaning media and politicians.[30][33][34][35] There were repeated calls by Donald Trump and William Barr to designate antifa as a terrorist organization.[36] Academics, legal experts, and others have argued such an action would exceed the authority of the presidency and violate the First Amendment.[37][38][39] Several analyses, reports, and studies have concluded that antifa is not a major domestic terrorism risk.[40][41][42] On September 17, 2025, Trump announced plans to designate antifa as a "major terrorist organization".[43][44] The announcement came a week after the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.[45]
It's just not up to much lately.
Norbert
(7,512 posts)my dad must have been a charter member when he was in the Army Infantry.
William Seger
(12,134 posts)Just label them as Antifa supporters = terrorist group supporters.
Xipe Totec
(44,461 posts)no_hypocrisy
(54,063 posts)I've seen this movie before.
werdna
(1,192 posts)- that the Trump regime and all of it's congressional and citizen supporters are not fascists? They are literally fighting people who oppose fascism. But there will be more argument from those who have a vested interest in fascism and those who will not or cannot see it. Sigh.
SocialDemocrat61
(6,607 posts)
LetMyPeopleVote
(173,933 posts)
LetMyPeopleVote
(173,933 posts)