The mainstream media appears to have had their fill of the alt-left radical group ANTIFA, as many of the same outlets who barely covered the violence perpetrated by them during anti-Trump protests are now almost universally condemning ANTIFA and their increasingly violent nature.
On Sunday, demonstrators peacefully gathered in Berkeley for a “March Against Marxism” after the larger Patriot Prayer rally was canceled due to threats of violence. ANTIFA and anti-Trump counter-protesters gathered and eventually jumped police barriers to attack peaceful right-wing demonstrators. Various videos emerged of black-clad ANTIFA protesters chasing demonstrators and even random pedestrians, promptly branding them “Nazis” and delivering beatings where they see fit.
Man walking to grocery store in Berkeley mistaken for being a Nazi is beaten into a coma. pic.twitter.com/pFpHhSKasi
— Hector Morenco (@hectormorenco) August 27, 2017
Even the Washington Post published an article admitting that the right-wing demonstrators were peaceful, and ANTIFA were the aggressors in Berkeley with the headline “Black-clad antifa members attack peaceful right-wing demonstrators in Berkeley”.
Apparently the ANTIFA recruit in the white t-shirt with a blue bandanna wrapped around his face didn’t get the memo that all ANTIFA members must wear black so that everyone observing them knows they are the” fighting Nazis”. Perhaps he’s simply an ANTIFA thug in training and hasn’t earned the right to wear black until he “punches a Nazi”, or more realistically some innocent pedestrian on the street who happens to have the wrong skin color. This would be a humorous observation if it wasn’t actually occurring at nearly every protest that ANTIFA members are attending.
Police in Berkeley arrested 13 ANTIFA protesters who took part in criminal activities on Sunday. Below are some of their mugshots, as you can see the friendly faces of local “anti-fascists” fighting to suppress free speech and anyone daring to express alternative political opinions.
Just a few of the crimes that these fine folks have been charged with include assault with a deadly weapon and felony assault.
In a Bloomberg article titled “A Modest Proposal for America’s Fascists and Anti-Fascists” the author admits that “The masked “antifa” anarchists have more in common with the Tiki-torch Nazis than with American ideals”.
Antifa’s vigilantism is dangerous in part because its aim is so poor. We can all agree in the abstract to oppose Nazis and other assorted fascists. The disagreement arises in labeling who’s a fascist. So far antifa has shown little discernment in this respect.
Many antifa activists showed up at Trump rallies, where presumably everyone supporting him was lumped in with the Nazis and Klansmen. Antifa activists this month clashed with the police at a rally in Boston, which was ironically called to support “free speech.” It’s true that some of the speakers invited to this event were reactionaries. But the rally was open to people of all political stripes to support the idea that in America we are free to assemble and say what we wish.
Although ANTIFA and their fellow anti-Trump leftist have been perpetrating violence against peaceful Trump supporters since the days of the election, this is the first time the mainstream media seems aligned in universally condemning their actions. Perhaps it’s the fact that ANTIFA has started attacking journalist of all affiliations, prompting fervent anti-Trump CNN reporter Jake Tapper went on a tweet storm condemning these violent assaults.
At least two journalists in Charlottesville were assaulted by people protesting the Klan/Nazi/alt-right rally. Taylor is one: https://t.co/haVOw89uTN
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) August 17, 2017
For all the media worries that Trump is inciting violence against journalists, the only group consistently assaulting reporters is Antifa
— Scott Greer (@ScottMGreer) August 27, 2017
8/ these are unprovoked assaults on journalists doing their jobs — by those marching *against* the hateful racists.
Disgusting.
-fin-— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) August 17, 2017
The following video of the assault that Jake Tapper was referring to, which occurring during the protest in Virginia, showing a CBS journalist violently attacked by black-clad ANTIFA thugs.
.@CBS6 Photojournalist Assaulted While Covering Protest In Richmond, VApic.twitter.com/6N1GlszI4D
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) August 14, 2017
Another reason for the mainstream media’s spotlight on alt-left violence may be due to the fact that these groups are woefully unpopular with the voting class, whether they identify as Democrats or Republicans. On social media, voters are now regularly seeing pictures and videos of anti-Trump ANTIFA protesters dressed in black while assaulting peaceful Trump supporters with makeshift weapons, which is unlikely to improve the image of the Democrats or gain them the support needed to win elections.
Regardless of one’s political affiliation, the vast majority of voters are not a part of the extreme left or right, and are not taking to the streets spewing venom and hunting down perceived “Nazis”. Working class Americans who are more focused on supporting their families than Nazi hunting are not likely to be swayed to the left by scenes of black-clad vigilantes beating up Americans supporting free speech.
Perhaps the Democrats and their focus groups have finally realized that ANTIFA is a stain on their already tarnished image and despite the constant attacks on Trump by the mainstream media, the majority of Americans are not sold on the theory that Nazis and Klansmen are responsible for electing the president to office. Rather, it was Donald Trump’s message of economic recovery, jobs, national security and a refreshing America First agenda that attracted millions of voters to ballot box last year.