This definition can be argued and has been argued. We describe our political parties as the right, conservative party and the left, liberal party. Which party loves freedom and is the more tolerant? European facists choked freedom of speech and association, freedom of thought, spread violence and intimidated, etc. I would say that is what the left is doing today. Because the WWII picture/definition of facism is so anti-democratic and anti-freedom is the reason the liberal media loves to label everything conservative, Christian, etc. as the far right and compare the right to facist Europe. Everytime they call us the right wing or the far right, it is an insinuation that conservatives are facist.
To say this student mob was a facist mob is right on the mark. It was certainly not tolerant or freedom loving. They were cutting off freedom of speech, freedom of association, and freedom of thought ; they were spouting hate and threatening violence. Look at Hitler's brown shirts--they were facists before they got into power and formed a facist govt. They intimidated, spewed hate, incited and used violence--seems a pretty good description/definition of these students to me.
vaudine
You're right, the definition of fascism has been through the mill. In my opinion the term is worn out. The original meaning was not negative. Hatred and violence weren't top selling points for fascism, it just happens that those qualities thrive within a militaristic state serving corporate interests.
The student mob wasn't tolerant, but it lacked the discipline required for fascism.