WASHINGTON — The United States has designated Antifa Ost, a German-based faction, along with three affiliated violent Antifa groups in Italy and Greece, as Specially Designated Global Terrorists and intends to list all four as Foreign Terrorist Organizations effective Nov. 20, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday.
“Today, building on President Trump’s historic commitment to confront Antifa’s campaign of political violence, we are taking decisive action,” Rubio said in a statement. “These designations target groups that use political violence and terroristic acts to undermine democratic institutions, constitutional rights and fundamental liberties.”
The State Department said the move supports National Security Presidential Memorandum-7, an initiative aimed at disrupting what it described as self-identified anti-fascist networks that deploy violence as a tool. According to the department, the groups embrace revolutionary anarchist or Marxist ideologies, including “anti-Americanism,” “anti-capitalism” and “anti-Christianity,” which they use to justify attacks in the United States and overseas.
Rubio said Washington will “continue using all available tools to protect our national security and public safety” and would work to cut off funding and resources to Antifa-linked groups globally.
