American The State Department has identified four European Antifa groups as global terrorists and intends to designate them as foreign as of November 20 terrorist organizations.
"Building on the president's (Donald) historic commitment Trampa countering Antifa's campaign of political violence, the State Department designates Antifa Ost, based in Germany, along with three other violent Antifa groups in Italy and Greece, as Specially Designated Global Terrorists and intends to designate all four groups as foreign terrorist organizations, effective November 20, 2025," stated the statement signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which was published on the State Department's website.
Allegedly, members of the groups Antifa Ost, Informal Anarchist Federation/International Revolutionary Front (FAI/FRI), Revolutionary Class Self-Defense and Armed Proletarian Justice have been designated as "Specially Designated Global Terrorists".
"Groups associated with this movement are guided by revolutionary anarchist or Marxist ideologies, including anti-Americanism, anti-capitalism and anti-Christianity, using them to incite and justify violent attacks at home and abroad," the statement said.
What actions did they take part in?
According to the State Department, Germany-based Antifa Ost organized attacks against individuals it deemed "fascists" in Germany between 2018 and 2023 "and was charged with a series of attacks in Budapest in mid-February 2023." In September of this year, Hungary declared Antifa Ost a terrorist organization, it is stated.
"The FAI/FRI group claimed responsibility for threats of violence, bombs, and letter bombs against political and economic institutions, including courtrooms and other 'capitalist institutions,'" the State Department said.
As stated, the Revolutionary Class Self-Defense "took responsibility for two attacks with improvised explosive devices on the Greek Ministry of Labor and the offices of the Greek Railways", while the Armed Proletarian Justice "took responsibility for planting a bomb near the headquarters of the Greek intervention police in December 2023".
Trump and his Republican allies accused antifa followers of inciting political violence after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Sanctions
Terrorist designations identify and isolate entities and individuals, denying them access to the U.S. financial system and the resources they need to carry out attacks, it said.
All property and property interests of the designated individuals or groups located in the United States or owned or controlled by a US person are blocked. Americans are generally prohibited from doing business with sanctioned persons, it said.
It is considered a criminal offense to knowingly provide material support or resources to those who have been marked, as well as attempts to provide support, the statement says.
What is Antifa?
Antifa, short for "anti-fascist", is a group of activists mostly committed to the far left.
This includes anarchists, but also communists and social democrats. What distinguishes them is their willingness to resort to violence – as they say, in self-defense or to protect communities.
The movement, which at one point almost completely disappeared in the US, experienced a new surge of interest after the first election of Donald Trump as president. They often clash with the extreme right wing of Donald Trump.
During the 2020 protests, there is some evidence that they participated in the destruction of public property. Authorities in Texas, for example, say three alleged robbers in Austin were linked to Antifa.
But right-wing activists and Trump have previously made much more serious accusations - that they are the driving force behind the violence, the BBC wrote.
