The US government has designated four European groups in Germany, Italy and Greece as global terrorist groups, calling them “violent antifa”.
According to Reuters , the United States designated four groups in Germany, Italy and Greece as “global terrorist groups” on Thursday, calling them “violent antifa groups.” The move comes as US President Donald Trump targets left-wing groups.
According to IRNA, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement announcing the news that the German-based group “Antifa Ost” along with three other groups in Greece and Italy have been designated as “Specially Designated Global Terrorists,” a move he said is in line with Trump’s commitment to countering Antifa’s campaign of political violence.
The US Secretary of State said he planned to designate these groups as “foreign terrorist organizations” starting November 20, warning that Washington would also target groups around the world.
Rubio added: “Groups affiliated with this movement have embraced revolutionary anarchist or Marxist ideologies, including anti-Americanism, anti-capitalism and anti-Christianity, and use these to incite and justify violent attacks at home and abroad.”
“The United States will continue to use all available tools to protect our national security and public safety and to deny funding and resources to terrorists, including by targeting other Antifa groups around the world,” he added.
Trump and his Republican allies have accused Antifa of fomenting political violence following the assassination of Charlie Kirk, a media activist close to him, in September.
Trump threatened to prosecute Antifa during his first administration. He designated it a terrorist group in September of this year. Some national security law experts have questioned the legality of the move, as Antifa, which means anti-fascist, has no formal leadership or organizational structure.
