President Donald Trump’s decision to label Antifa a domestic terrorist group – after he blamed them for vandalism and violence in the George Floyd protests – comes after three years of liberal journalists either ignoring or downplaying the far left organization’s history of violence.
Back in 2017, NBC’s Chuck Todd gave Antifa supporter and Dartmouth professor Mark Bray a platform to hock his propaganda book – despite Antifa already being labeled a terrorist organization by the state of New Jersey.
On the August 16, 2017 edition of MSNBC’s MTP Daily, Todd excused Antifa’s violent tactics as he set-up Bray: “The historical aspect of fascism has only been defeated with violence. I assume this the argument you’d make, right, Mark?”
Chuck Todd Aids in Promotion of Antifa Violence
“Mark Bray, you are writing this book Antifa, the Anti-Fascist Handbook. Explain this movement and its roots....What do you say to those that are concerned that: ‘Hey, you’re handing – you’re allowing this – these white supremacists to claim victim hood here....What do you say to that criticism since the President is trying to essentially create a false equivalency here?... The historical aspect of fascism has only been defeated with violence. I assume this the argument you’d make, right, Mark?”
— Host Chuck Todd to Antifa supporter Mark Bray on MSNBC’s MTP Daily, August 16, 2017.
Todd double-downed by inviting Bray on the August 20, 2017 edition of NBC’s Meet the Press. There were no questions from Todd about Antifa’s argent support for communism, an ideology that was responsible for killing over 100 million people and counting. And no mention of Antifa throwing bottles of urine at police in Boston, or the dragging of an older Trump supporter across the ground.
CNN’s Don Lemon in 2018 tried to have it both ways by claiming while he didn’t condone violence he insisted that “you have to fight fire with fire sometimes” and argued “no organization is perfect.”
Don Lemon Defends Antifa
“It says it right in the name, Antifa, Anti-Fascism, which is what they’re fighting. Listen. There is, you know, no organization is perfect. There is some violence. No one condones the violence. But there are different reasons for Antifa and for these neo-Nazis to be there. One, racists, fascists, the other group fighting racists, fascists, there is fascists. There is a distinction there.”
— Host Don Lemon talking about Antifa on CNN Tonight, August 28, 2018.
“Sometimes you can’t fight people by – you know – praising them or being nice to them. You have to fight fire with fire sometimes. Listen I’m not advocating violence.”
— Host Don Lemon on CNN Tonight, August 13, 2018.
Lemon’s CNN colleague Chris Cuomo in 2018 justified Antifa violence by asserting the left has “morality” on their side and they are “true” to a “good cause.”
Cuomo Justifies Antifa Violence Saying Left Has “Morality” On Their Side
“All punches are not equal morally. In the eyes of the law, yes. But in the eyes of good and evil, here’s the argument: if you’re a punk that comes to start trouble in a mask and hurt people, you’re not about any virtuous cause. You’re just somebody who’s going to be held to the standard of doing something wrong. But when someone comes to call out bigots and it gets hot, even physical, are they equally wrong as the bigot they are fighting? I argue, no. Fighting against hate matters....Drawing a moral equivalency between those espousing hate and those fighting it because they both resort to violence emboldens hate, legitimizes hateful belief and elevates what should be stamped out.”
— Host Chris Cuomo on Chris Cuomo Prime Time, May 18, 2018.
CNN’s Cuomo Justifies Antifa Violence: “True” to a “Good Cause”
“Whether you want to talk about Antifa or Black Lives Matter or any of the groups that assembled that day to fight against neo-Nazis, you make a moral equivalent between those two actions, you’re making a mistake in America. The President did it, that day....One of the groups was created to kill people they don’t like. The other group and Black Lives Matter has hangers-on and aberrant actors within their ranks but the groups were not created to destroy parts of humanity....There are certainly aspects of them that are true to a cause. That is a good cause. They want social justice and whatever they want in that context....You don’t draw a moral equivalency between neo-Nazis and the people there to fight against them.”
— Host Chris Cuomo on CNN’s Cuomo Prime Time, April 29, 2019.
Former CNN host Kamau Bell actually spoke at a 2017 Antifa rally replete with violence. In 2019, Bell sat by as he marveled at an Antifa member who just went by the name Ariel as she pulled out weapons from her bag.
CNN Host Marvels at Antifa Member’s Assortment of Weapons
Host Kamau Bell: “So, how would you describe yourself in relation to Antifa.”
Ariel: “The way I describe Antifa is more like this. Like, do you approve of fascism?”
Bell: “No.”
Ariel: “Then, you can consider yourself Antifa if you chose to. So, if you’re opposed to fascism – ”
Bell: “Yeah, I am.”
Ariel: “Then you are Antifa because it’s anti-fascism.”...
Bell: “Now, we have to talk about stuff you see on the news. And specifically, you like, you’ve actually at times had to get out there and mix it up. What was it like?”...
Bell: “Oh, I love that these are – ”
Ariel [pulling weapons out of her bag]: I know, I like that.”
Bell: “Can I put this on? [Puts on brass knuckles]. Wow, and this is – [opens a large pocket knife]”
Ariel: “I usually have a couple of those on me just in case.”
Bell: “Oh, just in case.”
Ariel: “I use it for whatever I need to use it for.”
Bell: “Point taken.”
— CNN’s United Shades of America, May 5, 2019.
That episode glorified a Washington-based Antifa chapter called the Puget Sound John Brown Gun Club (JBGC), describing them as the “good guy[s].” One of it’s members was killed by police for attempting to burn down a migrant detention center in Tacoma, Washington while armed with a rifle and incendiary devices.
Tucker Carlson’s Home Attacked By Antifa, Nets Yawn
In 2018, Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s home was attacked by Antifa activists. Fox News’ media reporter Howard Kurtz noted that the radical mob “pushed against his front door until it cracked.” Carlson talked with Kurtz about the attack and he told his colleague: “These weren't protesters, they were people who came to threaten my family. Their threats are designed to shut people up.” The CBS Evening News was the only network broadcast program to mention the assault on Carlson’s home.
