&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "‘Militarist, anarchist enterprise’: Trump signs order branding Antifa a terrorist organisation")
US President Donald Trump on Monday (Sep 22) signed an executive order branding Antifa as a domestic terrorist organisation, a sweeping move that civil liberties advocates warn could be used to target political dissent. The White House said the order was triggered by the September 10 assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a close Trump ally.
What is Antifa?
Antifa is short for "anti-fascist" and is a broad term used to describe far-left groups. Ever since Trump first mooted the organisation last week, there have been questions on how to define it.
In the text of the order, Trump described Antifa as a “militarist, anarchist enterprise that explicitly calls for the overthrow of the United States Government,” accusing the diffuse left-wing movement of using “violence and terrorism” to silence free speech.
“Because of the aforementioned pattern of political violence designed to suppress lawful political activity and obstruct the rule of law, I hereby designate Antifa as a 'domestic terrorist organisation',” Trump declared.
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The order goes further than previous threats, authorising federal authorities to act against “any person claiming to act on behalf of Antifa, or for which Antifa or any person claiming to act on behalf of Antifa provided material support.”
The decision comes as the US grapples with a sharp rise in political violence. Prosecutors say Kirk’s suspected killer, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, cited the conservative figure’s “hatred” as his motive, but investigators have found no evidence connecting him to Antifa or other organised groups.
Also read | 'I should get a Nobel Prize for each one': Trump demands seven Nobels for 'solving' 7 wars
Critics slam move as attempt to stifle opposition
Critics have warned that Trump's move risks criminalising political opposition and could be used to quash dissent. Antifa, shorthand for “anti-fascist,” traces its roots to socialist groups in 1930s Germany that resisted Hitler. In the US, it has become known for black-clad activists who confront far-right demonstrators, sometimes violently, while citing self-defence against fascism and racism. Trump, as per AFP, has long sought to pin episodes of unrest on Antifa, including the 2017 Charlottesville clashes and even the January 6 Capitol riot.
