European Efforts to Classify Antifa as a 'Terrorist Organization' Gain Momentum
In recent developments, several European governments have signalled their intentions to restrict or outlaw Antifa, a decentralized anti-fascist movement. This move comes amidst allegations of violence and links to extremist activities.
In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced plans to designate Antifa as a terrorist organization, following a violent assault on nine civilians in Budapest. The European Parliament will decide next week on lifting the immunity of Ilaria Salis, an Italian MEP, who has been alleged to be linked to Antifa activism, allowing her to face trial in Hungary. Salis previously faced detention in Hungary in connection with anti-fascist demonstrations.
If classified as a terrorist organization, Hungarian authorities would gain sweeping powers. However, no European government has officially recommended or seriously considered classifying Antifa as a terrorist organization, with only Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán pursuing such a classification, modeled after U.S. President Donald Trump's 2025 announcement.
In the Netherlands, a right-wing majority in the parliament adopted a motion urging the government to also classify Antifa as a terrorist organization. This call comes after a series of violent incidents, including a 2023 attack on Forum for Democracy (FvD) party leader Thierry Baudet, which was attributed to Antifa sympathizers.
Opponents of a ban on Antifa in the Netherlands argue that the movement's decentralized nature makes prohibition difficult to enforce in practice. They caution that outlawing Antifa could set a dangerous precedent, potentially impacting peaceful anti-racist and anti-fascist campaigners under broad security legislation.
Meanwhile, in Belgium, Georges-Louis Bouchez, President of the French-speaking Liberals, proposed a ban on Antifa following violent protests against his political party and the desecration of a late prominent Jewish Liberal statesman's tombstone. Bouchez also alleged that some unnamed professors at the University of Liège were part of the violent protests.
Bouchez claimed that Antifa uses fascist means of operating and is the "biggest danger for our democracy today". He also alleged that leftist extremists systematically use violence and that the monopoly of political violence in contemporary Belgium is driven by the Left.
The National Co-ordinator for Security and Counterterrorism (NCTV) in the Netherlands described left-wing extremism as "fragmented and small". However, the planned terrorist designation in Hungary and the ongoing debates in the Netherlands and Belgium highlight the ongoing concern about the role and activities of Antifa in European politics.
Civil rights advocates urge caution, stressing the importance of preserving the rights of peaceful anti-racist and anti-fascist campaigners while addressing any instances of violence or extremism within the movement. The upcoming decisions in Hungary and the Netherlands will be closely watched by Europe and beyond.
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