German Antifa Supporters Respond To Donald Trump’s Call To Label The Group A ‘Terrorist Organization’
On Saturday, The Inquisitr reported that President Donald Trump suggested that Antifa be labeled a terrorist organization. The militant, decentralized anti-fascist movement has drawn controversy recently, particularly after conservative video blogger Andy Ngo was attacked at a Portland, Oregon, rally last month by members of Antifa, which led to his hospitalization and — according to Ngo — a brain injury.
CNN reports that Trump’s comments and the subsequent resolution proposed by Republican Senators Ted Cruz and Bill Cassidy to label Antifa “domestic terrorists” prompted the group’s German supporters to use the hashtag “#IchbinAntifa” to stand in solidarity with them and reference Germany’s history of fascism and anti-fascism during the Nazi period.
“#IchbinAntifa Because history teaches us just how fragile democracy and the rule of law are when giving right-wing extremists power,” one user wrote.
“#IchbinAntifa because my grandfather fought the fascists after they nearly wiped out our entire family,” said another.
#Fascism destroyed #Europe and is responsible for millions of murders. #IchbinAntifa is the only logical consequence of this history,” wrote Niema Movassat, an MP for Germany’s hard-left Die Linke party.
Per Politico, not everyone was supportive. Right-wing politicians and supporters used the hashtag to back Trump’s initiative and praise the prohibition of groups like ANTIFA.
“Such extreme groups should prohibited!” wrote Alice Weidel, leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany in the Bundestag.
Newsweek reports that the federal government does not reveal its list of active terror groups. But per the Patriot Act, groups that engage in acts “dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the U.S.” for the purpose of influencing government policy, intimidating or coercing the civilian population, or affecting government are labeled terrorist organizations.
With Trump mulling classifying Antifa as a terrorist organization, let's talk about how the most recognized fascist regime of the past quickly stepped its suppression of 'enemies' once taking power. /1 pic.twitter.com/ImcFLm58Ve
— Mike Stuchbery ?? (@MikeStuchbery_) July 28, 2019
The Anti-Defamation League believes that Trump’s label would allow the government to violate the rights of peaceful protesters, and the American Civil Liberties Union has warned for years that the Patriot Act could be used to grant the government authority to exert control over peaceful acts.
Although Antifa has damaged property, engaged in physical violence, and caused injury, critics of labeling the group “terrorists” point to the fact that they have not yet been linked to any deaths in the United States, while other hate groups — that are not designated terrorist organizations — have done so.
“The Antifa reject racism but use unacceptable tactics,” the ADL said, adding that white supremacists use more extreme violence to spread their hateful ideologies and undermine democratic norms.
Per ADL, right-wing extremists were responsible for 73.3 percent of the 425-plus deaths in the U.S. between 2009 and 2018 that were caused by violent extremism, while just 3.2 percent were attributable to left-wing extremists.
