Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Legislature

House Republicans want Antifa designated as a terrorist organization

Antifa is not a formally organized group nationally or in Alabama, so the resolution targets “those who act under the banner of Antifa.”

Police in Huntsville respond to protesters in June 2020. DAVID CAPO
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Alabama House Republicans called on the federal government to designate Antifa as a terrorist organization on Monday.

The Alabama House Republican Caucus passed a resolution authored by Rep. Chip Brown, R-Hollinger’s Island. Brown did not introduce the resolution to the House before the Legislature adjourned sine die on Tuesday. Though the draft text is written as a House resolution, saying “the members of the Legislature” urge the designation, it only received consideration by the caucus.

Brown’s office argued it carries the same weight as a House resolution because of the Republican supermajority. Any such weight is rhetorical or persuasive, but not legal.

Since Antifa is not a formally organized group nationally or in Alabama, the resolution targets “Those who act under the banner of Antifa, those who affiliate with Antifa, and offshoots of Antifa.” It condemns incidents when members of Antifa allegedly assaulted journalists like Andy Ngo as well as incidents of intimidation or threats against Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.

“The radical liberal groups that operate under the Antifa banner use rioting, violence, arson, intimidation, and even murder in order to advance and promote their radical leftist agenda, and far too often, their actions occur without punishment” Brown said.  “Antifa and its affiliates are the very definition of domestic terrorists, and it is time for the federal government to classify and treat them the same as ISIS, Al Qaeda, and other organizations that utilize the same violent tactics.”

The Homeland Security Act of 2002 uses the term “domestic terrorism,” but it is only defined. According to the FBI, U.S. Code does not provide any federal criminal charging statutes for domestic terrorism. At the federal level, a domestic terrorist convicted of assault would only charged with assault. Foreign terrorist organizations are designated by the State department as such primarily to enforce sanctions.

Emphasizing the importance of speech free from threats of violence, the resolution does not reference any incidents in Alabama claimed to be led by Antifa, such as the June 2020 protest in Huntsville that police dispersed.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

Samuel Stettheimer is a reporting intern at the Alabama Political Reporter. You can reach him at [email protected].

More from APR

Local news

Decatur is seeking to change when, how, and if individuals and groups can peacefully protest.

Featured Opinion

Upset because people are protesting outside of his house, Decatur mayor Tab Bowling wants to violate the constitution to stop them.

State

Several new laws went into effect Monday, including one that ended the state's tax on overtime pay.

Legislature

Although the Legislature passed this bill in 2023, a glitch led to Gov. Kay Ivey signing the wrong version into law.