(Article by Amy Elliott republished from LawEnforcementToday.com)
Regardless of where the American people come down on the issue, it appears there is no doubt that Antifa meets the criteria to be labeled as Domestic Terrorists.
In the recent presidential debate, former Vice President Joe Biden revealed that he believed Antifa was not an organization, but instead was only an idea.
However, when an idea is linked to action by someone, it becomes a movement. The violent actions perpetuated by individuals claiming to be members of Antifa result, in fact, in the classification of Antifa as a movement.
Of course, Biden indicated the “idea” assessment had originally come from Trump’s own FBI Director Chris Wray.
But Chris Wray called Antifa an ideology. Not the same thing at all.
According to National Review, here’s what Wray actually said:
“We look at Antifa as more of an ideology or a movement than an organization. To be clear, we do have quite a number of properly predicated domestic terrorism investigations into violent anarchist extremists, any number of whom self-identify with the Antifa movement.
“And that’s part of this broader group of domestic violent extremists that I’m talking about, but it’s just one part of it. We also have the racially motivated violence extremists, the militia types, and others.”
FBI Director Chris Wray’s direct quote, according to the National Review, stated:
“I want to be clear that by describing it as an ideology or movement, I by no means mean to minimize the seriousness of the violence and criminality that is going on across the country.
“Some of which is attributable to that people inspired by, or who self-identify with that ideology and movement. We’re focused on that violence on that criminality. And some of it is extremely serious.”
In a comment on the YouTube video of Biden’s “idea” opinion during the presidential debate, one viewer named Andrew wrote:
“When an ‘idea’ has followers who communicate with each other and coordinate strategies, organize security and execute plans to destroy property and harm individuals, it becomes an organization.”
James Woods, well known actor and Twitter user followed by 2.6 million people, facetiously seems to agree:
https://twitter.com/RealJamesWoods/status/1312627451168579584
The Antifa movement has thrived in those communities suffering violence and riots, many of which are governed by Democratic mayors. As the Antifa movement becomes more organized, it thrives on the power vacuum created by anti-law enforcement cities.
Legally, the definition of a terrorist organization is a group that uses violence or the threat of violence in the pursuit of political, religious, ideological or social objectives.
FBI defines domestic terrorism as violent criminal acts committed by individuals and/or groups to further ideological goals, stemming from domestic influences of a political, religious, social, racial or environmental nature.
As businesses and individuals in riot-hit communities can attest, they have been the victims of domestic terrorism.
https://twitter.com/hodgetwins/status/1313251184820453376
It is clear that the activities undertaken by violent rioters by those claiming to be Antifa fit the definition of domestic terrorism.
Biden’s assessment led to a vigorous and heated response from law enforcement officials across the nation.
Joe Gamaldi, president of the Houston (Texas) Police Officers’ Union, heatedly responded in a video posted on the Facebook page of the National Fraternal Order of Police:
“Vice President Biden said Antifa is an idea. Well excuse me, but ideas don’t throw bricks at officers’ heads.
“They don’t hit officers in the heads with baseball bats, they don’t throw Molotov cocktails and they don’t attempt to assassinate police officers.”
Gamaldi went on to say:
“Antifa is terrorists, and we need to make sure they are calling it by that name. And Vice President Biden frankly owes an apology to every single law enforcement officer across this country who puts on a uniform every single day for that ridiculous comment and to undermine the very real threat that Antifa poses not only to law enforcement but our entire country.”
Antifa, much like ISIS, formed first as an idea. ISIS then became a movement and eventually a full blown terrorist organization – formed in the absence of a legitimate or inept government.
Remember, the definition of a terrorist organization is a group that uses violence or the threat of violence in the pursuit of political, religious, ideological or social objectives. ISIS or Antifa – both fit the description for terrorism.
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