President Trump indicated that the United States would soon be designating antifa as a terrorist organization after protests over the death of George Floyd turned into violent riots.
“The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization,” the president tweeted Sunday morning.
The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2020
One day prior, Attorney General William Barr said it appears that “many places” across the country were seeing violent protests spurred by “anarchic” and “far-left extremist groups.” He added that agitators were using “antifa-like tactics” and that many of them were traveling from out of state to participate in the protests.
Barr added on Sunday that the violence being “instigated and carried out” by “antifa and other similar groups” in connection to nationwide rioting is “domestic terrorism and will be treated accordingly.”
Floyd, a 46-year-old unarmed black man, died in police custody last week after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pinned him down by placing a knee on the back of his neck. Footage of the incident set off a wave of outrage, leading to protests in several major cities across the nation, some of which became violent as protesters looted and destroyed property. Chauvin is facing charges of third-degree murder and manslaughter.
It is unclear whether the president has the legal authority to designate antifa as a terrorist organization.
