Police arrested three people whom they say are members of antifa for looting a Target in Austin, Texas late last month, according to the Travis County District Attorney’s Office.
The three people — identified as Lisa Hogan, 27, Samuel Miller, 22, and Skye Elder, 23 — were among a group of about 20 people who broke into the building, stole items, and damaged property on May 31.
Hogan was charged with riot and burglary of a building, Miller was charged with criminal mischief and burglary of a building, and Elder was charged for burglary of a building. Bond was set at $25,000 per charge for each person.
Members of the Austin Police Department Special Response Team arrived shortly after the break-in and apprehended the trio. The property damage and merchandise stolen has been valued at over $20,000.
A press release from the office of District Attorney Margaret Moore said the three people “are known members of a local anti-government group, which is a self-identified communist/socialist ANTIFA group.”
“While I fully support the rights of freedom of speech and assembly, I cannot tolerate the subversion of peaceful protest by engaging in wanton destruction and theft,” Moore said. “These arrests are important to protecting not only the property owners, but, even more importantly, the peaceful protesters whose message should be heard.”
The statement said there is an ongoing investigation involving the Austin Police Department, the Travis County District Attorney’s Office, and the FBI.
“The violence, threat to life, and destruction of property we have seen in Austin and other parts of the country, jeopardizes the rights and safety of all citizens, including peaceful demonstrators,” said Christopher Combs, special agent in charge of the FBI’s San Antonio Division.
President Trump has blamed the left-wing antifa movement for violent demonstrations across the country in several cities, including looting, arson, and major clashes between protesters and law enforcement. The president said late last month the U.S. would designate antifa a domestic terrorist organization.
The protests began last week after George Floyd, a black man, died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee into Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes during an arrest.
Attorney General William Barr said “many places” across the country were seeing violent protests spurred by “anarchic” and “far-left extremist groups.” He added that agitators were using “antifalike tactics” and that many of them were traveling from out of state to participate in the protests.
Barr later added 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.”
Editor’s note: This story has been corrected to note the Travis County District Attorney’s Office, not the FBI, identified the suspects as members of antifa, and clarify that police arrested the trio.
