Long before the left tried to make their unruly minions out as peaceful protesters who simply hate statues of dead Confederates, federal law enforcement officials were warning local authorities throughout the nation be on high alert for “domestic terrorist violence” when Antifa groups hit the streets.
That’s according to a well-sourced report out in POLITICO Friday:
Since well before the Aug. 12 rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, turned deadly, DHS has been issuing warnings about the growing likelihood of lethal violence between the left-wing anarchists and right-wing white supremacist and nationalist groups.
Previously unreported documents disclose that by April 2016, authorities believed that “anarchist extremists” were the primary instigators of violence at public rallies against a range of targets. They were blamed by authorities for attacks on the police, government and political institutions, along with symbols of “the capitalist system,” racism, social injustice and fascism, according to a confidential 2016 joint intelligence assessment by DHS and the FBI.
How did authorities figure out that Antifa’s members are the most likely source of trouble in any given street protest scenario?
One high ranking law enforcement official explained: “These antifa guys were showing up with weapons, shields and bike helmets and just beating the shit out of people. … They’re using Molotov cocktails, they’re starting fires, they’re throwing bombs and smashing windows.”
Seems pretty sound.
And for all the talk about Nazis from mainstream media and outfits like Southern Poverty Law Center, it looks like left wingers are the bigger threat.
After noting the media’s obsession with warning of right-wing extremists in years past, POLITICO continues:
More recently, the antifa groups, which some describe as the Anti-Fascist Action Network, have evolved out of the leftist anti-government groups like “Black bloc,” protesters clad in black and wearing masks that caused violence at events like the 1999 Seattle World Trade Organization protests. They claim to have no leader and no hierarchy, but authorities following them believe they are organized via decentralized networks of cells that coordinate with each other. Often, they spend weeks planning for violence at upcoming events, according to the April 2016 DHS and FBI report entitled “Baseline Comparison of US and Foreign Anarchist Extremist Movements.”
Dozens of armed anti-fascist groups have emerged, including Redneck Revolt and the Red Guards, according to the reports and interviews. One report from New Jersey authorities said self-described antifa groups have been established in cities including New York, Philadelphia, Chicago and San Francisco.
Unreasonable, potentially violent freaks are coming to a city near you– and the government is thrilled. Antifa is providing the perfect excuse for actual increases in fascist tactics by government authorities.
So next time you see a cop wearing a military helmet riding down the street in a tank, be sure to thank the anti-fascists for all their hard work.
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