US President Donald Trump has announced that Antifa will be designated as a terrorist organisation, accusing it of fuelling political violence in the United States. The decision follows the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a case now linked to alleged Antifa sympathiser Tyler Robinson.Posting on Truth Social, the President said: “I am pleased to inform our many U.S.A. Patriots that I am designating ANTIFA, A SICK, DANGEROUS, RADICAL LEFT DISASTER, AS A MAJOR TERRORIST ORGANIZATION. I will also be strongly recommending that those funding ANTIFA be thoroughly investigated in accordance with the highest legal standards and practices. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
What is Antifa?
- Name Origin: “Antifa” is short for anti-fascist — a term with historical roots in European resistance to fascism, particularly in Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy.
- Structure: There is no formal leadership, no membership lists, and no central organization. Antifa is better described as a movement or network of loosely aligned activists and cells.
- Ideology: Antifa adherents oppose fascism, racism, xenophobia, and authoritarianism. Many members are also critical of capitalism and state institutions like the police.
- Direct confrontation with far-right groups
- Publicly identifying (or doxxing) white supremacists
- Counter-protesting right-wing events
- Wearing black bloc attire (masks and all-black clothing) to maintain anonymity
- Violence: Some Antifa participants have engaged in violent confrontations, particularly during rallies or clashes with far-right groups.
- Historical Origins: Antifa’s roots trace back to the 1930s in Europe, with groups like Antifaschistische Aktion in Germany resisting Adolf Hitler’s rise. The movement re-emerged in the US in the late 1980s through organizations like Anti-Racist Action (ARA), and gained mainstream visibility after the 2017 Charlottesville rally.
- Modern Presence: Notable contemporary groups include Rose City Antifa in Portland, Oregon (founded in 2007), among others. They often coordinate online, but avoid traditional hierarchies or affiliations.
- The movement gained national attention after the 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, where Antifa demonstrators were among the groups confronting white nationalists.
During the his first term, the Trump administration frequently pointed to the movement as the instigator of violence during events like the George Floyd protests, despite limited evidence of organized coordination or widespread presence.
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