In the wake of the completely unjustified murder of George Floyd by police officer Derek Chauvin, tens of thousands of Americans concerned about police brutality have taken to the streets to demand reforms they believe to be necessary to protect civilian liberties.
But, unfortunately, these well-meaning, law-abiding citizens are not alone. They have been joined by radical elements who are seeking to sow discord, create division, and, in many cases, usher in an anti-American revolution hellbent on fundamentally transforming the United States in their Marxist image.
Although many have been reluctant to acknowledge that far-left organizations and networks like Antifa are driving much of the chaos now occurring nightly on America’s streets, including brutal attacks on police officers and innocent civilians, there is substantial evidence to show that these groups are present and actively engaging in the George Floyd protests.
On Sunday, CNN and the Associated Press reported, “An antifa activist group disseminated a message in a Telegram channel on Saturday that encouraged people to consider Minnesota National Guard troops ‘easy targets,’ two Defense Department officials said. The message encouraged activists to steal ‘kit,’ meaning the weapons and body armor used by the soldiers.”
On the same day, U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr released a statement indicating that “Antifa and other similar groups” have engaged in “domestic terrorism” related to the Floyd protests.
Through various social media platforms, Antifa and other left-wing groups have made numerous posts instructing protesters on the best ways to cause destruction and harm to others, and several have even posted photos from recent George Floyd protests.
On the “AntifascistsofReddit” page, one Antifa member posted on Tuesday a “Protest Roles” guide, which provides fellow Antifa radicals with advice on the best way to wreak havoc.
One of the “roles” identified is “fire mage,” which the guide describes as those “protesters who come prepared to set fire to barricades and throw flammable projectiles.”
Another “role” is “range soldier,” which is defined as protesters “who throw water bottles, umbrellas, and trash to stop police from advancing.”
In response to the post, a different member of Antifa suggested encouraging people to blind police with paint in the midst of an attack. “Cops are wearing face masks,” the person remarked. “Fill water balloons with paint to make the masks useless. Been trying to spread this for a few days now.”
The St. Louis Antifa group posted photos on Facebook from a protest it attended on Saturday, and the Atlanta Antifa group posted images on Twitter of people they suspected to be police or unfriendly media attending Atlanta-area protests, warning members to steer clear during future protests. It also encouraged Antifa members to donate to the Atlanta Solidarity Fund, which provides bail and legal support to protesters who have been arrested.
While Antifa groups incite violence at protests across the United States, more mainstream socialists are providing media cover for radical protesters.
In an article published in the popular socialist magazine Jacobin, David Sirota, a former adviser and speechwriter for the Bernie Sanders campaign, lamented that protesters breaking into stores to steal goods are being referred to as “looters.”
It’s a “loaded” term, Sirota wrote, one that “comes with all sorts of race and class connotations.”
“And we have to understand that terms like ‘looting’ are an example of the way our media often imperceptibly trains us to think about economics, crime, and punishment in specific and skewed ways,” Sirota added.
Instead, Sirota argues we should focus on the alleged “looting” done by corporations who have received taxpayer-funded bailouts and tax cuts—a talking point Bernie Sanders echoed on Tuesday.
In another Jacobin article, socialist writer Meagan Day, seemed to acknowledge that Antifa is a “left-wing” organization, but she denied that it should be held responsible for the recent violence and destruction at various George Floyd protests. Instead, she blamed police for inciting the violence. “Make no mistake,” Day wrote, “the police are the ones rioting. And they’re doing so with impunity.”
It’s not just Antifa and socialist groups stirring up trouble at otherwise peaceful protests, either. Other extremists have also engaged in activities that have led to destruction and violence.
On Monday, Brian Bartels, the 20-year-old protester who helped transform a peaceful protest in Pittsburgh on Saturday into a full-blown riot, turned himself into police after they were able to successfully identify him from images taken at the protest. Bartels was wearing clothing associated with the far-left Animal Liberation Front, which the FBI has characterized as a “loosely organized extremist movement committed to ending the abuse and exploitation of animals.”
Some on the left and in the media have attempted to shift the blame for the violence from left-wing radical groups to allegedly “right-wing” white nationalist and neo-Nazi groups. While it’s certainly possible these organizations are engaging in violence at some of the protests occurring in more than 140 cities across the country, there’s very little evidence that any of them are truly “right-wing”—meaning they support limited government, free markets, and defending the Constitution.
Assuming all white radicals are supporters of limited government is a form of racism. In fact, it is a well-documented fact that Antifa is full of white Marxist revolutionaries.
It should come as no surprise that far-left groups and other radicals are promoting violence and destruction. Many left-wing extremists have been promising violence for years.
For example, in January, Project Veritas released video footage of several socialist workers for Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign calling for revolutionary action. Among those appearing in the videos was Kyle Jurek, a Sanders campaign field organizer. When asked what would happen if President Trump were to win reelection, Jurek responded, “F***ing cities burn,” adding, “I mean, we don’t have a lot of time left, we have to save f***ing human civilization.”
Jurek also said, “We’re going to make 1978 [1968] look like a f***ing Girl Scout f***ing cookout,” and “cops are going to be the ones that are getting f***ing beaten in Milwaukee. They’re going to call out the National Guard for that s**t. I promise you that.”
Does Jurek’s prophecy sound familiar?
Of course, it’s not fair to say all of the recent destruction has been caused by Marxists and left-wing radicals. Some irresponsible protesters are simply taking advantage of the chaotic situation.
But to deny that left-wing extremists aren’t a massive part of the problem is to ignore the overwhelming evidence that shows they are using this opportunity to promote their agenda, a tactic Marxists have been using for more than a century.
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