Posted on 10/16/2025 4:25:22 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
The Trump administration is using an imagined enemy—“antifa”—to justify turning ICE into an ultra-violent, unaccountable army invading US cities.
Portlanders deploying inflatable animal costumes, a brass band, mass ukulele renditions of “This Land Is Your Land,” naked bike rides, and other tactics in their ICE protests are undermining the Trump administration’s lurid claims that Portland, Oregon, is a “war-torn” city under siege by a violent left. It’s hard to portray someone dancing in an inflatable frog or chicken costume as a terrorist.
This, of course, hasn’t stopped the Trump administration from officially designating antifa a domestic terrorist organization. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem even claimed to have arrested in Portland “one of the girlfriends of one of the founders of Antifa,” which has never been a real organization, just a nickname for antifascists. Girlfriend of founder of imaginary group is, well, a very Kristi Noem category. But the right has been claiming the left is violent even longer than it’s been hallucinating about antifa. And because these claims are often used to justify crackdowns and suppression of First Amendment rights, they’re worth unpacking, especially as we head into the huge #NoKings demonstrations on Saturday.
An authoritarian regime is nothing without an enemy to justify its brutality. An imaginary one will do, or the the regime can portray an already-marginalized minority as a malevolent threat. Under Trump, immigrants and the left and anyone standing up against ICE have been portrayed that way. Authoritarians routinely hype the peril we’re in if the enemy is not quashed, and of course that quashing customarily and conveniently requires a suspension of laws, a violation of rights, a seizure of power, or all of the above. Right now, it’s being used to justify turning ICE into an ultra-violent, unaccountable army invading US cities.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
Well said
Antifa never existed? Wow! Gaslighting 101. The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist. Evil is evil!
Andy Ngo enters the chat....Kyle Rittenhouse enters the chat...a bunch of J6ers enter the chat...Benny Johnson enters the chat....anyone wearing a red hat in 2020 enters the chat....Tesla drivers enter the chat...
Neither was the Mafia.
Word went out. At every opportunity deny the existence of Antifa. That useful idiot Kimmel was the first and now we are seeing it everywhere. Biden said it during the 20 debate and now they have brought it back.
Technically, the Covington kids could enter the chat when that Lefty phoney got it their face.
“The Trump administration is using an imagined enemy—“antifa”—to justify turning ICE into an ultra-violent, unaccountable army invading US cities.“
One of the most disingenuous lines Ive ever read lol.
ICE is doing their job and are being attacked. As usual the media advocates for the criminals.
That’s a big steaming pile, Becky.
The lefts big lie. Antifa does not exist.
Aging leftists catwoman will write for food.
Screenshot: Shut my mouth and call me a Klansman if this ain’t a peaceful demonstration.
To staff in studio: Hey, what’s up with the orange backlighting? A little bright. 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Rebecca Solnit probably thinks the Socialist Rifle Association doesn’t exist, either.
Or the John Brown Gun Club.
Socialist Rifle is a left-wing fringe group that had communicated with Antifa mass shooter Connor Betts before he murdered nine people in Dayton, Ohio, back in 2019.
(Excerpt) Read more at pjmedia.com ...—— Ax-Wielding Antifa Member Attacks GOP Senator’s Office, Dems Give Him Money, FBI Returns Ax, PJ Media, 23 Nov 2021, by Stephen Green
It's not like they have a flag, a logo, uniforms, actively recruit people, hand out brochures, etc.
You nailed it! Antifa murdered Charlie. 😡
The ultra-violent, unaccountable army invading US cities is what ICE is going after.
WHO IS THE IDIOT WHO WROTE THIS???
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.