@paulfree14 As Obi-Wan said, "If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine."

Vigilantism, even against Nazis, is very unwise. It encourages extremism.

@mpjgregoire yeah just with the difference that nazis aren't Obi-Wan. They are humans. And they gather with others supporting their hate ideas. As more they feel empowerd as more they will rise.
So you break what makes them feel powerfull.
If they can walk along a street and punish or even kill blacks that will make them feel empowerd to move on.
So you push back.
No one needs 'legal authority' to help each other out.

...being able to quote starwars doesn't make one wise.

@paulfree14
4. Some young men are attracted by the frisson of violence. There are people who will become Fascists precisely because of the chance of fighting.
5. As #politics descends into violence, the mass of citizens loses faith in liberal democracy. They will support groups with which they would not normally be comfortable. We should not presume the majority would side with the anti-Facscists.

...

@paulfree14 I'm tempted, but will resist pursuing my 8 points 1 at a time. But I'll clarify #5.

In the 1930s, when German democracy broke down amid clashes between the brownshirts and the Red Front, the public decided they preferred the Fascists. Whom the public supports depends on who seems least hostile to them and who is likeliest to win (typically the most ruthless).

Violence between #antifa and Fascists may lead the public to sympathise with the Fascists, not anarchists.