Unmasked

1. Antifa is a violent extremist movement with a revolutionary agenda.

Behind their violence is a plan to destroy the nation-state, America in particular, to bring about a revolution that leads to their vision of utopia.

Beyond anti-fascism. Antifa, short for "anti-fascist," is fundamentally an ideology and movement of radical pan-leftist politics, primarily composed of militant anarchist communists or collectivist anarchists. While they claim to oppose fascism, their definition is broad, allowing them to justify violence against a wide range of targets, including mainstream conservatives and liberals. Their core defining characteristics are a militant opposition to free markets and a desire to destroy the United States and its institutions.

Violence is a feature. Violence is not an accidental byproduct of antifa's activities but a deliberate and venerated tactic. Since 2015, countless victims, including journalists, have been doxed, beaten, robbed, or killed by antifa militants. This violence serves as a means to destabilize society, intimidate opponents, and push towards their revolutionary goals.

Not just street hooligans. Reducing antifa to a ragtag group of street fighters misses their sophisticated strategy. They utilize propaganda, radicalization, violence, and even electoral politics to achieve their aims. Their ultimate goal is the destruction of the American republic to usher in their vision of a stateless, anti-capitalist, and prison-free world.

2. Antifa's origins lie in historical European communist paramilitaries.

This is the original “Antifa” and the group that contemporary antifa around the world take inspiration from.

Weimar Republic roots. The modern antifa movement traces its origins to the Antifaschistische Aktion (Antifascist Action) paramilitary group formed by the German Communist Party (KPD) in May 1932 during the political instability of the Weimar Republic. This group, symbolized by the two red flags (representing communism and socialism), engaged in violent street battles primarily against social democrats and liberals, whom the KPD labeled "social fascists."

Legacy of violence and repression. While the original Antifascist Action was banned after Hitler's rise, its ideology persisted. In East Germany (German Democratic Republic), the "anti-fascist" ideology was institutionalized, leading to a repressive communist state characterized by pervasive surveillance (Stasi) and the suppression of dissent, justified in the name of fighting Western "fascism." This history demonstrates how "anti-fascism" can be a facade for totalitarian control.

European influence today. Contemporary antifa groups in Europe, particularly Germany, continue the tradition of militant direct action and territorial control (e.g., squatting communities in Berlin). They draw mythos from historical anti-fascist struggles in Italy and Spain, using slogans like "No pasarán." European antifa also cross-pollinated with punk subculture in Britain, influencing the development of anti-racist skinhead movements and groups like the UK Anti-Fascist Action, which directly inspired early American antifa networks.

3. American antifa has evolved, incorporating critical theory and intersectionality.

American antifa has the communist and anarchist origins of European antifa, but it has evolved to include contemporary social-justice politics from critical theory.

Midwest beginnings. The first known American antifa groups emerged in the late 1980s from the Midwest, influenced by British anarchist publications and forming networks like the Anti-Racist Action (ARA). They adopted the tactic of using violence to disrupt perceived far-right groups, viewing it as "anti-racist" action rather than strictly "anti-fascist."

Campus radicalization. American universities have become breeding grounds for far-left violent extremism, with students and academics increasingly embracing radical ideologies. This is partly attributed to the pervasive influence of critical theory, a Marxist-inspired framework that analyzes society through power dynamics and perceived oppression based on identity (race, gender, etc.). Concepts like "white privilege," "whiteness," and "intersectionality" are central to this worldview.

Syncretism of ideologies. Contemporary American antifa represents a unique mutation, blending its communist and anarchist roots with critical theory and intersectionality. The movement's focus has shifted to include identity politics, viewing the revolution not just through a class struggle lens but also through the lens of race, gender, and sexual orientation. This has made the movement more appealing to segments of the mainstream left and has led to a greater tolerance for extremism within academic and cultural institutions.

4. Black Lives Matter shares core radical goals and tactics with antifa.

In her own words, one of the founders of BLM demonstrates how closely the organization’s ideology aligns with antifa.

Shared revolutionary aims. Despite being presented as solely focused on racial justice and police brutality, Black Lives Matter (BLM) shares core radical goals with antifa. Leaders of BLM have openly stated their opposition to capitalism, the two-party system, and American "imperialism." They advocate for the abolition of law enforcement, prisons, and national borders, echoing antifa's revolutionary agenda.

Reverence for violent figures. BLM draws inspiration from militant black power figures like Assata Shakur, a convicted cop killer and fugitive who was a member of the violent extremist Black Liberation Army (BLA). BLM leaders have recited Shakur's manifesto, which includes lines lifted from the Communist Manifesto, and have mourned communist dictators like Fidel Castro for providing refuge to BLA members. This demonstrates a clear ideological lineage to violent, anti-state movements.

Tactical alliance. An informal alliance has developed between BLM and antifa, particularly since 2016. Antifa militants often act as volunteer "security" at BLM protests, providing a trained, ready-for-battle element. Both movements utilize tactics like mass protests, property destruction (justified as not being "violence"), and the targeting of law enforcement and symbols of the state. This convergence has provided antifa with mainstream legitimacy while giving BLM a militant wing.

5. Antifa employs organized tactics: violence, propaganda, doxing, and "mutual aid."

Antifa know the effect that smashed windows, breached businesses, and fires have on crowd mentality.

Strategic chaos. Antifa's actions are not spontaneous but are part of a deliberate strategy. They use tactics like breaking windows to initiate looting and arson, creating a "chain reaction" that turns protests into riots. This is based on anarchist literature that intellectualizes vandalism as a protest against property rights and capitalism.

Support infrastructure. Sustained violence and organizing require resources. Ad hoc "mutual aid" groups, often funded through online donations, provide rioters with food, water, riot gear, weapons, and bail money. These groups streamline the "catch-and-release" process for arrested rioters, allowing them to return to the streets quickly.

Training and communication. Antifa groups, like Rose City Antifa, have formalized structures and training curricula that include operational security (OPSEC), reconnaissance, group fighting strategies, and even firearms training. They use encrypted communication tools and subtle signals to coordinate actions and evade detection, making it difficult for authorities to track their networks.

6. The 2020 riots demonstrated antifa's ability to destabilize cities and exploit political climates.

For the first time in my life, I witnessed major American metropolises struggle and fail with protecting the most basic right of citizens: the right to life and property.

Exploiting social unrest. The death of George Floyd in May 2020 provided a catalyst for widespread unrest, which antifa and BLM networks exploited to incite riots across dozens of U.S. cities. Antifa accounts amplified false narratives and used "cyberswarming" to direct followers to riot locations, turning protests into scenes of mass vandalism, looting, and arson.

Creating "autonomous zones." In cities like Seattle and Portland, antifa and BLM militants established "autonomous zones" (e.g., CHAZ/CHOP), territories where police were excluded and the authority of the state was rejected. These zones, though short-lived, became sites of chaos, violence, and even homicides, demonstrating the practical outcome of antifa's anti-state ideology when given physical space.

Sustained urban warfare. In Portland, riots continued nightly for months, targeting police precincts, federal buildings, and businesses. Rioters used increasingly sophisticated weapons, including frozen projectiles, lasers, slingshots, and explosives. This sustained violence drained government resources, demoralized law enforcement, and created a sense of lawlessness, fulfilling antifa's goal of destabilizing urban centers.

7. Antifa uses "lawfare" and political influence to weaken law enforcement.

“Lawfare” refers to the act of abusing the legal system to achieve goals.

Legal harassment. Large networks of far-left attorneys and legal groups, such as the National Lawyers Guild (NLG), actively engage in "lawfare" against law enforcement. They file numerous lawsuits against police departments to tie up resources, force policy changes (like banning tear gas), and publicly embarrass officers, effectively crippling their ability to respond to riots. The NLG openly supports antifa and views violent direct action as justified.

Political appeasement. Elected officials in left-leaning cities have often appeased antifa and BLM demands, leading to policies that weaken police. Examples include defunding police departments, restricting the use of crowd control tools, and issuing directives that limit police engagement with rioters. Some politicians have even spread conspiracy theories blaming police for inciting violence.

Decriminalizing riots. In cities like Portland, district attorneys have adopted policies that effectively decriminalize many offenses committed during riots, such as interfering with an officer, disorderly conduct, and criminal trespass. This "catch-and-release" system emboldens rioters, who face minimal consequences even for repeated arrests, allowing the cycle of violence to continue unchecked.

8. Antifa's doxing and harassment are forms of non-violent terrorism.

The point is not to document reality but to gather intel to get someone assaulted, fired, or stalked.

Weaponizing information. Antifa groups prioritize identifying their opponents and releasing their personal information ("doxing") online and in public spaces. This "research" is used to compile dossiers on individuals accused of being "fascists" or "cops," including their addresses, phone numbers, employers, and family details.

Inciting vigilante action. The purpose of doxing is to encourage harassment, intimidation, and violence against targets by a network of extremist vigilantes. While the doxing itself may not always be illegal, it creates a climate of fear and can lead to real-world consequences, including threats, stalking, job loss, and physical assault. The author's own experience of being stalked at home illustrates this terror.

Cyberswarming tactics. Antifa uses social media for "cyberswarming," issuing real-time alerts about the physical location of targets to mobilize comrades for immediate confrontation. This tactic aims to make perceived enemies afraid to be in public spaces, effectively limiting their freedom of movement and expression without necessarily resorting to physical violence in every instance.

9. Antifa's ideology has inspired deadly violence.

Antifa’s worldview taken to its logical conclusion results in the death of not just its adherents but sometimes also those unfortunate enough to be around them.

Terrorist attacks. Antifa's anti-state and anti-capitalist ideology, combined with its embrace of violence, has inspired deadly attacks. Willem van Spronsen, who firebombed an ICE facility in Tacoma, Washington, in 2019, explicitly identified as "antifa" in his manifesto and urged others to arm themselves and fight the "predatory state."

Targeting law enforcement. Charles Landeros, an antifa extremist in Eugene, Oregon, who cofounded an armed "self-defense" group, attempted to kill police officers at a middle school in 2019 before being shot and killed. His actions were rooted in a deep hatred of law enforcement and a belief in armed revolution, echoing antifa rhetoric.

Political assassinations. Michael Reinoehl, who shot and killed a Trump supporter in Portland in August 2020, identified as "100 percent antifa" and believed the riots were part of a "war" requiring "casualties." His actions were celebrated by some antifa as justified "self-defense" against a perceived "Nazi," demonstrating how the movement's dehumanization of opponents can lead to murder.

10. Sympathetic media and politicians enable antifa by denying their nature and excusing violence.

We’ve been lied to. While there is no single capital A “Antifa” organization with one leader, there are indeed localized cells and groups with formalized structures and memberships.

Denial and obfuscation. Despite clear evidence of organization, training, and violent tactics, many mainstream media outlets and politicians deny antifa's nature, often portraying them as a myth or simply "anti-fascists." This denial prevents the public from understanding the true threat and hinders effective responses.

Propaganda and bias. Some journalists and media outlets go beyond mere bias, actively spreading pro-antifa propaganda, amplifying their talking points, and discrediting their opponents. Some individuals working in media have direct ties to antifa organizations, creating a conflict of interest that is often undisclosed.

Political legitimization. High-profile politicians have publicly supported antifa, promoted their bail funds, and echoed their rhetoric, lending mainstream legitimacy to an extremist movement. This political support, combined with media narratives that excuse or justify violence committed in the name of "racial justice," emboldens antifa and normalizes their actions.

11. The author's personal experience illustrates the real-world impact and terror inflicted by antifa.

The beating that day cemented my resolve in investigating the origins, ideology, and organization of antifa.

Targeted violence. The author's experience of being brutally beaten by a mob of antifa militants in Portland in June 2019, resulting in a brain hemorrhage, highlights the real-world consequences of their violence. This attack was not random but followed months of doxing, harassment, and threats from antifa accounts and individuals.

Psychological impact. Beyond physical injury, the attack and subsequent harassment, including being stalked at his family's home, inflicted significant psychological trauma, leading to symptoms of PTSD and a debilitating fear for his safety. This demonstrates how antifa's tactics aim to terrorize individuals and make them afraid to live normal lives or express dissenting views.

Lack of accountability. Despite reporting assaults, threats, and doxing to law enforcement, the author has faced a consistent lack of accountability for his attackers and harassers. This failure of the justice system, coupled with media narratives that blamed him for the violence, illustrates how antifa operates with near impunity, enabled by a system unwilling or unable to hold them accountable.

Last updated: June 9, 2025