Mastodawn

This is what a #WitchHunt actually looks like

Exclusive: US “counterterror” officials plan #antifa summit, sources say

The #Trump admin is organizing an international summit focused on countering the #LeftWing movement antifa & other groups, 3 sources familiar with the matter said, an effort that highlights the shift in the US government's counterterrorism priorities over the past year.

#AntiFascism #resist #law #security #fascism #FarRight #authoritarianism #tyranny
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-counterterror-officials-plan-antifa-summit-sources-say-2026-03-31/?utm_source=braze&utm_medium=notifications&utm_campaign=2025_engagement

The conference, tentatively planned for June or July, will convene officials from various nations to discuss strategies for battling #antifa & encourage “intelligence” sharing, said the sources…

#Trump has portrayed antifa as a severe threat to the #US.

Counterterrorism experts argue it does NOT EXIST as an organized entity, though people claiming affinity to antifa have been involved in armed attacks in the US.

#AntiFascism #resist #law #security #fascism #FarRight #authoritarianism #tyranny

Among the ofcls organizing the event is Under Secretary of State for Arms Control & International Security Thomas DiNanno, said 2 sources.

In response to requests for comment, spox for the White House & State Dept both described #antifa as a major #security concern for the #Trump admin.

#AntiFascism #resist #law #fascism #FarRight #authoritarianism #tyranny

"The anarchists, Marxists, & violent extremists of antifa have waged a terror campaign in the United States & across the Western world for decades, carrying out bombings, beatings, shootings, & riots in service of their extreme agenda," said Tommy Pigott, the State Dept's principal deputy propagandist.

#AntiFascism #antifa #dissent #resist #law #security #Trump #fascism #FarRight #authoritarianism #tyranny #propaganda

The planned event has raised concerns among some current & former officials, who argue that the ⁠summit would be a #distraction when the #US faces actual threats from #Iran sponsored groups driven by the #war in the #MiddleEast.

#AntiFascism #antifa #dissent #resist #law #security #Trump #fascism #FarRight #authoritarianism #tyranny #propaganda

"I am just skeptical that now, with everything going on, when you see the number of plots being put together by #Iran & #Hezbollah, that there really is a compelling need to spend limited counterterrorism resources on the #antifa threat right now," said Michael Jacobson, dir of strategy, plans & initiatives for State's Counterterrorism Bureau until 2025. Now, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for the Near East Policy think tank.
#AntiFascism #law #security #Trump #fascism #propaganda

…#Antifa, short for "anti-fascist," is not an organized political group but is a decentralized movement without a clear structure, command hierarchy or leader, acc/to a 2020 Congressional Research Service report.

Some experts on political extremism, along with Fmr #FBI director Christopher Wray, have argued that antifa is better viewed as an #ideology than a cohesive entity.

#AntiFascism #antifa #dissent #resist #law #security #Trump #fascism #FarRight #authoritarianism #tyranny #propaganda

#Legal & #CivilRights advocates have expressed concerns that #Trump's pursuit of #antifa amounts to an attempt to #criminalize certain political views.

…#Trump first sought to designate the movement as a domestic terror organization in 2020, when left-wing demonstrators attacked federal buildings in Portland, Oregon during weeks of unrest following the police #murder of #GeorgeFloyd.

#AntiFascism #antifa #dissent #resist #law #security #fascism #FarRight #authoritarianism #tyranny #propaganda

…Most Western counterterrorism officials are now focused ⁠on the threat of #Iran sponsored attacks directed at #US, #Europe & #Israel targets.
Ahead of the joint US-Israeli attack on Iran on Feb 28, the #FBI warned law enforcement agencies that Tehran might try to retaliate for any US strikes by launching surprise drone attacks in #California, acc/to a #security bulletin seen by Reuters.

#AntiFascism #antifa #dissent #resist #law #Trump #fascism #FarRight #authoritarianism #tyranny #propaganda

European police body #Europol has warned that the #IranWar has "immediate repercussions" for #EU security, with an increased threat of acts of terror on the continent.

Both at home & abroad, #US officials have in ⁠recent years focused more on #RightWing #extremism than #LeftWing extremism. [statistically #FarRight extremist attacks far outweigh any threat from the left.]

#AntiFascism #antifa #dissent #resist #law #security #Trump #fascism #FarRight #authoritarianism #tyranny #propaganda

But #Trump has made countering #LeftWing groups - & #Antifa in particular - a priority. He singled out the movement on the campaign trail in 2024, & he vowed to take action against left-wing groups he accuses of fomenting violence after the murder of conservative activist & ally Charlie Kirk in September.

Publicly available evidence in that case has not tied alleged killer Tyler Robinson to antifa.

#AntiFascism #antifa #dissent #resist #law #security #fascism #FarRight #tyranny #propaganda

Shortly after the murder, #Trump signed an executive order labeling #antifa a "domestic terrorist organization."

#Legal experts have said the domestic terrorist designation is legally & constitutionally dubious & raises #FreeSpeech concerns.

#AntiFascism #antifa #dissent #resist #law #security #fascism #FarRight #authoritarianism #tyranny #propaganda

Tito Swineflu 2d ago

@Nonilex Where is the support for the statement that "US officials have in recent years focused more on right wing extremism than left wing extremism?" Do you mean they've been focused on committing right wing extremism? I haven't heard of any major US law enforcement organizations taking right wing extremism seriously in any way.

https://theconversation.com/white-nationalism-born-in-the-usa-is-now-a-global-terror-threat-113825

White nationalism, born in the USA, is now a global terror threat

The recent massacre at a New Zealand mosque is a traceable, direct outgrowth of an American white nationalist movement that insists immigrants and people of color are a threat to ‘white civilization.’

The Conversation

Tito Swineflu 2d ago

@Nonilex I don't see any mention of American law enforcement taking right wing terror seriously in this article.

Ross of Ottawa 2d ago

@Nonilex I never understand why any official commenting with criticism of "antifa" isn't immediately asked if they are pro-fascism.

That would seem to be the implication, but it never gets asked.

Cybarbie 2d ago

@ottaross @Nonilex There was a HUGE #antifa rally the other day idk how they could have possibly missed the literal millions of #antifa people on the streets...

Ross of Ottawa 2d ago

@nf3xn Shiny war!
@Nonilex

noplasticshower 2d ago

@Nonilex so slow. The plan is to link them.

Twotired 1d ago

@Nonilex To be fair, my father participated in bombings in service of antifa. This was during WWII, and the organizers behind the bombings (the US government) even awarded him medals for it.