The White House announced Jan. 5 that President Trump has signed a memo seeking to block individuals associated with the left-wing extremist group Antifa from entering the United States, saying the group’s radical and violent actions have endangered the fabric of the country.
“Antifa radicals have brutally attacked our law-abiding friends, neighbors and business owners and destroyed historic landmarks that our communities have held dear for decades,” White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said in a statement Tuesday evening (5). “This kind of violence and lawlessness has no place in America and will be judged as domestic terrorism.” “President Trump will not allow Antifa, or any terrorist organization, to destroy our great nation.”
The memo states that according to “credible reports,” Antifa is directly or indirectly responsible for certain “recent violations” in communities across the country. Antifa “has used the tragedy to advance a radical, leftist, anarchist and often violent agenda,” adding that the group “has a long history of using otherwise permissible demonstrations to engage in criminal lawlessness in order to advance its radical agenda “.
The memo cites other violent incidents in recent years in which Antifa protesters have physically attacked individuals, caused property damage and threatened violence against law enforcement officials. “Antifa-inspired violence, such as throwing explosive and incendiary devices at police, burning vehicles, and using violence against police in defiance of local curfews, endangers people’s lives and the fabric of the state.”
The memo also mentions Antifa’s attack on independent journalist Andy Ngo. He sued the Portland-based Antifa in June 2020 for assault, battery and “intentional infliction of emotional distress” and accused the group of running a racketeering enterprise.
President Trump had previously said the U.S. would declare Antifa a terrorist organization, but the administration has not yet taken formal steps to do so. Shortly before the memo was released, Trump described Antifa as a “terrorist organization” on Twitter and warned the group to stay out of Washington during a Jan. 6 protest organized by several groups. Trump supporters have been violently attacked by suspected Antifa agents after several peaceful rallies and marches in Washington.
On the night of Monday (Jan. 4), a day before the memo was released, U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Texas) tweeted that a group of Antifa members threatened his wife and young daughter at his Washington, D.C., home that night and used a megaphone to shout threats and vandalize private facilities. Hawley said he and his family “will not be intimidated.
Meanwhile, authorities in Washington, D.C., which is Democratic territory, warned against bringing guns to Wednesday’s protest and arrested the head of the right-wing conservative group Proud Boys on Monday, accusing him of burning a Black Lives Matter flag a month ago. “He is suspected of damaging private property by burning a flag of the Black Lives Matter organization a month ago. He was released but asked to leave Washington, D.C. Critics have pointed out that Antifa and the Black Lives Matter group have gotten away with burning several American flags in their activities.
Recent Comments