Kristi Noem Equates Antifa to Mara Salvatrucha, the Palestinian Militant Group, the Lebanese Faction and Islamic State
During a White House roundtable discussion, the homeland security secretary this week compared the loose network of antifascist activists to MS-13, Hamas, Hezbollah and the Islamic State, describing the decentralized street activists “equally threatening” as officially recognized terror groups.
“They are just as sophisticated as MS-13, as the Tren de Aragua, as the Islamic State, as the Lebanese militia, as the Palestinian faction, each one of these, they are just as dangerous,” Noem stated. “They have an agenda to destroy us, similar to other extremist groups we’ve dealt with for decades.”
The discussion featured rightwing social media journalists such as several prominent commentators among others who cover antifa protests.
Several organizations Noem cited – Hamas, Hezbollah and Isis – are formally designated terrorist organizations that control territory, run armed branches, have hierarchical leadership and have executed large-scale assaults such as explosions, abductions and targeted killings.
Extremism experts have frequently characterized the anti-fascist movement, in comparison, as having no centralized leadership, official membership or organizational structure, and it has often been portrayed by national authorities as a decentralized movement of campaigners who participate in demonstrations, portions of which involve property destruction and street violence.
The roundtable comes after an executive order issued in September designating anti-fascist activists as a “homegrown terror group”.
Shortly prior to the declaration, Joe Biggs previously convicted and later pardoned for his role on January 6 posted on X: “Who is prepared to pursue anti-fascist activists? Since I am acquainted with several individuals.”
