President Donald Trump is designating Antifa a terrorist organization after a night of violent demonstrations across the country.
“The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization,” Trump said in a tweet on Sunday afternoon.
The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2020
Days after George Floyd died in police custody in Minneapolis, after an officer pinned him to the ground by placing his knee on Floyd’s neck for several minutes, dozens of cities around the country witnessed thousands of people gather to protest police brutality.
In several cities, the protests turned violent as night fell on Saturday.
On Sunday, National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien said he believed Antifa, short for “anti-fascist,” was behind the violence during an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
“This is being driven by Antifa. And they did it in Seattle. They have done it in Portland. They have done it in Berkeley. This is a destructive force of radical — I don’t even know if we want to call them leftists. Whatever they are, they’re — they’re militants who are coming in and burning our cities, and we’re going to get to the bottom of it.”
Watch the video below:
On Saturday, Acting Senate Intelligence Chairman Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said in a tweet that “domestic extremists” were taking advantage of the protests, “Over the last 2 days domestic extremist groups (with a variety of different & opposing ideologies)infiltrated & took advantage of protests to attack police & government buildings.”
“These groups are violent & often armed & their presence at protests will continue to grow,” he warned.
Over the last 2 days domestic extremist groups (with a variety of different & opposing ideologies)infiltrated & took advantage of protests to attack police & government buildings.
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) May 31, 2020
These groups are violent & often armed & their presence at protests will continue to grow.
Rubio also said pointed the finger at Antifa, “In city after city we have a rogues gallery of terrorists from Antifa to ‘Boogaloo’ groups encouraging & committing violence.”
News networks missing a big story
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) May 31, 2020
In city after city we have a rogues gallery of terrorists from Antifa to “Boogaloo” groups encouraging & committing violence
They may not be ideologically compatible but share a hatred of govt & police & are taking advantage of the protests
He said those groups want to “tear the whole system down even if it requires a new civil war.”
According to the Anti-Defamation League, Antifa is a ” loose collection of groups, networks and individuals who believe in active, aggressive opposition to far right-wing movements.”
Rubio also warned that adversaries of the U.S. were using social media to promote violence.