Trump Decides to Label Antifa as Terrorists
In a late-night social media post, US President Donald Trump announced his intention to designate Antifa as a 'major terrorist organization.' This move, if implemented, would mark a significant escalation in the government's response to the militant group known for confronting people at demonstrations.
The proposal was first announced in early 2020, and Trump reiterated his stance yesterday, stating that he would be 'strongly recommending' that funders of Antifa be investigated. This announcement came amidst renewed discussions about the group, following protests after the death of George Floyd.
It's important to note that Antifa, also known as 'anti-fascists,' is a domestic entity and, as such, is not a candidate for inclusion on the US Department of State's list of foreign terror organizations. The US does not have a domestic equivalent to the foreign terror organization list due to broad free speech protections in the country.
However, the Department of Justice can prosecute those who give material support to entities on the terror organization list, even if the support does not result in violence. This could potentially open up avenues for legal action against Antifa supporters.
Trump's call to designate Antifa as a terror organization was met with support from some quarters. US Senator Bill Cassidy praised the announcement, noting that he and Senator Ted Cruz had introduced a resolution in the US Senate in July 2019 to condemn the violent acts of Antifa and designate the group a domestic terror organization. Former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and Attorney General Pam Bondi, both officials under the Trump administration, also publicly supported the idea of designating Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization and investigating its financiers.
However, the idea of designating Antifa as a terror organization has been met with criticism. Then-FBI director Christopher Wray testified that Antifa is an ideology, not an organization, lacking the hierarchical structure that would usually allow it to be designated as a terror group by the federal government.
Trump described Antifa as a 'SICK, DANGEROUS, RADICAL LEFT DISASTER.' The designation, if it were to occur, would not be without controversy. Dozens of groups, including the Islamic State and al-Qaeda, are on the foreign terror organization list. The implications and practicalities of applying a similar designation to a domestic group like Antifa are yet to be fully understood.
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