President Trump takes new action against Antifa, one step closer to terrorist organization designation



President Donald Trump took new action against Antifa on Tuesday, signing an executive order asking the State Department to evaluate whether the far-left anarchist group should be classified as a terrorist organization.

What's the background?

Antifa has become an infamous staple throughout Trump's presidency, often making headlines for engaging in violent clashes with right-wing demonstrators in cities nationwide.

Because of the group's penchant for violence, Trump has toyed with the idea of officially designating Antifa as a terrorist organization.

Trump said in July 2019, "Consideration is being given to declaring ANTIFA, the gutless Radical Left Wack Jobs who go around hitting (only non-fighters) people over the heads with baseball bats, a major Organization of Terror (along with MS-13 & others). Would make it easier for police to do their job!"

In August 2019, Trump said, "Major consideration is being given to naming ANTIFA an 'ORGANIZATION OF TERROR.'"

And in May 2020, Trump declared, "The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization."

What did the EO say?

Despite Trump's public declarations, Antifa has not been classified as a terrorist organization. However, Tuesday's executive order was a concrete step toward such a designation becoming reality.

Trump's executive order calls on the State Department, Justice Department, and Homeland Security Department to evaluate whether Antifa should be classified as a terrorist organization.

The executive order says:

The Secretary of State shall, in consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security, review information received from the Department of Justice and other authorities to assess whether to classify Antifa as a terrorist organization under section 1182(a)(3)(B)(vi) of title 8, United States Code.

The Secretary of State shall take all appropriate steps, in consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security, to consider listing Antifa in 9 FAM 302.5-4(B)(2)(U) Aliens Who Are Members of an Identified Criminal Organization.

"The Department of Justice has already publicly confirmed that actions by Antifa and similar groups meet the standard for domestic terrorism," the executive order declares.

"The violence spurred on by Antifa — such as hurling projectiles and incendiary devices at police, burning vehicles, and violently confronting police in defiance of local curfews — is dangerous to human life and to the fabric of our Nation. These violent acts undermine the rights of peaceful protestors and destroy the lives, liberty, and property of the people of this Nation, especially those most vulnerable," the order says.

Anything else?

Critics say designating Antifa as a terrorist organization is not possible because the group does not have centralized leadership like, say, Al Qaeda.

However, leaked emails from the Department of Homeland Security regarding violence in Portland last summer revealed that Antifa is, in fact, organized.

#Whistleblower #PortlandProtest Breaking: According to this @DHSgov internal email, obtained @CBSNews, former Actin… https://t.co/Glc5te3Q8N
— Catherine Herridge (@Catherine Herridge)1600124417.0

Leaked DHS email reveals Antifa violence in Portland is 'organized,' not 'opportunistic'



Investigative reporter Catherine Herridge obtained a leaked email from a former top Homeland Security official on Monday revealing that Antifa violence in Portland is, in fact, organized.

What's the background?

Although the black-clad militant protesters have been mainstays in unrest across the country for years, those who claim to be members of Antifa often refuse to acknowledge centralized organization of their group.

Mark Bray, author of "Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook," recently claimed in an essay for the Washington Post that the government cannot designate Antifa as a "terrorist organization," which President Donald Trump has threatened to do, because Antifa "is not an organization."

Bray also claimed that Antifa is not associated with Black Lives Matter, the Democratic Party, or "liberal financiers like George Soros," and that Antifa is not actually fascist.

What does the email say?

The email — sent by Brian Murphy, former acting under secretary for intelligence and analysis at DHS, who has now become a government whistleblower — stated the violence seen in Portland over the summer has been "organized."

Murphy's message, sent July 25, was to inform staff of a definition change, that future references to the violent activity taking place in Portland would be referred to as being "violent Antifa anarchists inspired."

The individuals are violently attacking the Federal facilities based on these ideologies. We can't say any longer that this violent situation is opportunistic. Additionally, we have overwhelmingly intelligence regarding the ideologies driving individuals towards violence and why the violence has continued. A core set of Threat actors are organized, show up night after night, share common [Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures] and drawing on like minded individuals to their cause.

I recognize we may not be able to attribute every individual as VAAI however we need to look at the totality of the intelligence both current and previous and recognize the motivation for the violence and why people have shown up to commit violence for about 60 days. And why the individuals are using social media to encourage the VAAI on the ground to carry out acts of violence.

Murphy concluded the email, "Threat actors who are motivated by Anarchist or ANTIFA (or a combination of both) ideologies to carry out acts of violence against State, Local, and Federal authorities and infrastructure they believe represent authority or represent political and social ideas they reject."

#Whistleblower #PortlandProtest Breaking: According to this @DHSgov internal email, obtained @CBSNews, former Actin… https://t.co/Glc5te3Q8N
— Catherine Herridge (@Catherine Herridge)1600124417.0
are organized and show up night after night, and share common TTPs (Tactics, Techniques and Procedures)..”"Threat… https://t.co/o4kG3pkm1w
— Catherine Herridge (@Catherine Herridge)1600124418.0

Recognizing centralization within Antifa is significant because it could make future prosecution of the group easier.

Indeed, acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said last month the government is "targeting" the leaders of Antifa and other groups perpetuating unrest across the country.

Rioters calling themselves heroes take to Portland's streets with 'bloody' guillotine, flaming American flags: 'Get in the f***ing streets!'



Rioters converged on the streets of Portland, Oregon, on Saturday night pushing a guillotine and burning American flags.

What are the details?

The Portland Police Department said that at least 250 people marched through the Portland's suburbs on their way to the Penumbra Kelly Building.

Rioters strode through residential streets with a teddy bear set up in a guillotine, burning American flags, and demanding sleeping residents afford them shelter and protection.

One man can be heard demanding, "Get in the f***ing streets!'

Another woman cried, "What are you doing to protect your neighbors, people in their houses? ... There are safety in numbers! We protect you every night by being out here. Please come and protect us! Make sure you are offering us refuge! We are tired and yet we are still out here! We are simply asking for one night, one hour!"

Protesters call on people to let them into their houses and give them refuge as the movement progresses #Portland… https://t.co/6o8ksqW0Kk
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@Brendan Gutenschwager)1598157678.0

Journalist Brendan Gutenschwager tweeted videos of the riots, captioning one, "The protesters have brought out a guillotine to the streets."

He later shared a second video, writing, "Protesters wheel a guillotine into the street in front of the police bureau."

It didn't end there: The rioters then began burning American flags in the streets.

"Protesters cheer as they burn American flags at the guillotine outside the police bureau," he wrote.

The protesters have brought out a guillotine to the streets #Portland #PortlandProtest https://t.co/Swc8ryJV8Z
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@Brendan Gutenschwager)1598160390.0
Protesters cheer as they burn American flags at the guillotine outside the police bureau #PortlandProtest #Portland https://t.co/R9I6dobNiv
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@Brendan Gutenschwager)1598164471.0

What else?

When the violent group arrived at their building destination, which houses public safety offices, it pulled out weapons and projectiles to use against law enforcement officials such as rocks, frozen bottles of water, and laser pointers.

In a statement, the Portland Police Department said, "Many participants in the march carried hardened shields, helmets, armor, gas masks, and wore all-black clothing. At least one participant targeted the Portland Police Air Support Unit airplane with a green laser. This is extremely dangerous and could cause disorientation for the pilot, in addition to permanent eye damage."

At least one police officer suffered injuries after being struck in the head with a glass bottle.

Police declared the demonstration a riot shortly before midnight local time.

The department added, "Between 45 and 50 officers had to be pulled from precincts to assist in the protest response. For most of the duration of this event, there were between 120 and 140 calls holding in the City of Portland. Calls included shots fired, assaults, alarms, threats, and suspicious circumstances."


(H/T: The Daily Wire)

WATCH: Portland Rioters Overwhelm Cops, Torch Police Union Headquarters

Portland protesters, led by the “anti-Fascist” group Pacific Northwest Youth Liberation Front, threatened police and set a number of fires in the city’s downtown Saturday night, leaving Portland police to declare the demonstration a “riot.” The incidents, caught on video by reporters on the scene, marked the 52nd night of unrest in Portland. Friday night, […]

Portland protesters, led by the “anti-Fascist” group Pacific Northwest Youth Liberation Front, threatened police and set a number of fires in the city’s downtown Saturday night, leaving Portland police to declare the demonstration a “riot.”

The incidents, caught on video by reporters on the scene, marked the 52nd night of unrest in Portland.

Friday night, federal officers — members of an elite Customs and Border Protection unit moved in to assist Portland’s law enforcement officers in protecting a federal courthouse, one of the rioters’ top targets these past several months. The officers detained several of the protesters Friday night, but were largely absent Saturday night, leaving Portland police to handle the unrest alone.

‘Protesters broke into a building, set it on fire and started dumpster fires late Saturday night in Oregon’s largest city,” Fox News reported. “The fire at the Portland Police Association building was put out a short time later, Portland police said on Twitter. The department declared the gathering a riot, and began working to clear the downtown area.”

“In North Portland, the PNW Youth Liberation Front, an organized group that has been leading demonstrations over the course of the past two months, hosted a protest to demand the abolition of the Portland Police Bureau and decry violence against people of color. After an evening gathering at Peninsula Park, marchers headed south on Interstate Avenue, stretching out for about five blocks,” Oregon Live added.

The group eventually ended up at the Portland police union headquarters. They then began tipping Dumpsters to form a barricade for themselves as they attacked the building. Two of the Dumpsters were set on fire, and protesters who breached the building eventually set two small fires inside.

By 10:45, Portland police declared the incident a “riot,” and “[a]round 11:15 p.m., police began pressing protesters to the east. Most protesters did not resist. Police took multiple people into custody,” Oregon Live reported.

Video of the protests and the subsequent fires made it on to social media quickly.

The march has arrived at the Police Union building in Northeast Portland. There are some dumpsters knocked over, but visible police presence. #blacklivesmatter  #protest #pdx #portland #oregon #blm #acab #PortlandProtest #PDXprotest #PortlandPolice pic.twitter.com/9SQzxwqrAz

— Garrison Davis (Teargas Proof) (@hungrybowtie) July 19, 2020

The Portland Police union in north Portland was broken into and set on fire by antifa rioters. A riot has been declared. pic.twitter.com/kp9JucufA3

— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) July 19, 2020

Some protesters returned to the federal courthouse early Sunday morning to create a barricade from pieces of fencing, but police had, by then, cleared the scene.

Part of the wood protecting the courthouse in Portland has been broken and a man is trying to make the hole bigger while bashing the wall inside.

Meanwhile, people continue to bring the fencing back.

Police have still not returned. pic.twitter.com/tUew07YIgo

— Shelby Talcott (@ShelbyTalcott) July 19, 2020

Protesters and Portland city officials — and even Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) — decried federal efforts to assist in handling the riots, repeating claims, first raised by demonstrators, that federal agents, without badges or insignia, were “disappearing” protesters, whisking them away in unmarked vehicles to undisclosed locations.

The CBP address those concerns on Saturday, noting that federal agents had been deployed to assist in defending the federal courthouse in Portland, but that CBP officer uniforms did bear the insignia of the Department of Homeland Security. One protester was, indeed, taken to a second location, but, CBP says, not to hide the detainment, but rather to avoid a “large” mob that was advancing on officers.

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