Antifa Labeled as “Terrorist” Group by DHS – Why Portland’s Strickland Attack Was Canary in Coalmine

In a little noted story one year ago, Politico reported that Department of Homeland Security “confidential intelligence” documents showed that  “antifascists,” known as  “Antifa,” are now considered a domestic terror group.

Those who have observed the violence by Portland Professional Protester, Incorporated, Antifa edition, are not surprised by the recent domestic terrorism designation. In fact, most would probably say ‘what took you so long?’

The report,  disseminated within DHS in April 2016, is an assessment of  violent groups, and reveals that the Pacific Northwest region is a national ‘leader’ in  Leftist violent extremism:

” … US extremist attacks noted in this study occurred in multiple states,  the majority of  incidents occurred in the Pacific Northwest.” 

Portlanders have watched in disgust as the City ‘leaders’ have thrown their lot in with the protesters,  leaving law-abiding citizens adrift without representation. The rule-of-law has become a two track system – one for Antifa and Portland Professional Protesters and the regular, tougher one for everyone else.

You’d think that after the nine-year-long blockbuster investigation of Oregon based eco and animal terrorists known as “The Family” that local leaders would catch a clue. Wrong.

Either in thrall of ACLU and Lawyers Guild attorneys, or out of fear for their own safety – or both –  city officials have looked the other way all while making public pronouncements about the virtue of Antifa’s crusade. Maybe it’s the contact high outside City Hall that convinced them capitulation would keep the mob from their door.

Oh, look, someone’s at the door.

Knock, knock.

Who’s there?

The mob.

Antifa has responded to Official Portland’s endorsement by bashing heads, detonating IEDs,  setting fires, hitting people with ‘flag’ staffs, hurling fire works, menacing, attacking cops, blocking freeways and roads, conspiring against videographers (see Mike Strickland and Leo Stratton stories nearby),  and deploying chemical sprays.

Official Protester Portland has given the mob its seal-of-approval because, after all, these  virtuous, Black bloc, balaclava clad crusaders ridding the world of all things “fascist” are on the side of angels don’t ‘cha know.

Oregonians are wary of coming downtown, especially at night, because they’re afraid to discover they’ve been transmogrified into a Nazi and be ‘dealt’ with by Antifa.

Mayor Ted Wheeler has cheered the violent protesters on, offered them public support and ordered police to stand down during violent clashes except once, and that was only recently.

However, what is new is the seriousness with which at least federal law enforcement will potentially treat the violent political gang.

Note this from Politico:

“Previously unreported documents disclose that by April 2016, authorities believed that “anarchist extremists” were the primary instigators of violence at public rallies against a range of targets. They were blamed by authorities for attacks on the police, government and political institutions, along with symbols of “the capitalist system,” racism, social injustice and fascism, according to a confidential 2016 joint intelligence assessment by DHS and the FBI.”

The report, called the Baseline Comparison of US and Foreign Anarchist Extremist Movements, reported that during 2013 and 2014 things began to heat up in both Michigan and the PNW with violent groups.

A group then known as the Plockers, an outgrowth of 2011’s Occupy Portland, began to squat in foreclosed houses and refuse to leave. According to the report, there were multiple arsons committed by these activists in their anti-gentrification schemes.

As we’ve seen over the years and chronicled here and on my radio shows, the same people who were active in the “BushHitler” days, became Obamabots and Bernie Bros. Others on the fringes learned from the Seattle WTO conflagration and thus became a subset of these anarchists, wearing their Black bloc clothing and balaclavas.

Antifa derived from this group. Portland anarchists have told me they don’t share Antifa’s world view,  but for most, it’s a distinction without a difference.

The report worries that “anarchist extremist” “antifascists” – come on guys, you can just call them Antifa – will become more violent in the U.S. and the world.

Read the report for yourself and note that the deep dive into Antifa ended in spring of 2016 as Antifa was  getting absolutely triggered over the presidential election just months away.

Enter Mike Strickland.

In July of 2016, Portland Professional Protester members held a “Don’t Shoot PDX” Black Lives Matter march and rally and noticed videographer Mike Strickland in their midst. Strickland, the owner of the YouTube channel, “Laughing at Liberals,” often covered Portland’s Leftist rallies and marches. His material regularly made national news.

Organizer of the event, John Slaughter, admitted in court that he and others conspired to rough up Strickland and throw him out of their event, which was being held on a public street. They hit Strickland with their flag staffs, punched him and then, when they saw he had retreated to another spot at the rally, organized another rush at him whereupon he pulled his legal pistol and, while not even putting his finger near the trigger, held off the gang. No shots were fired.

Strickland was arrested, charged and put on trial, jailed and his case will be heard on appeal next month.

Repeating. In Portland, Oregon the guy who was  doing his job in what we thought was a free country, reporting on protesters on a public street whom he has covered many times before, was forced to pull his pistol to defend himself against a marauding band of thugs, one of whom, Benjamin Kerensa, was 400 pounds. And Strickland was jailed.

The chief reason why Strickland was treated like a criminal by the Multnomah County DA’s office? Slaughter claimed, without providing proof, that Strickland sent him racist text messages. Strickland text messages were never presented to buttress that claim because they didn’t exist. But the DA believed Slaughter and poured on the charges and bail for Strickland.

Within months of the Strickland assault, similar tactics were used to silence conservative speakers on college campuses.

The flaccid response by police and university officials, largely due to their endorsement of their Antifa heroes, gave rise to the right wing groups holding marches and rallies to draw out Antifa and respond to their violence with force of their own.

Here’s where we get to a crucial point about Portland and Antifa. Politico reported that federal officials believe Antifa is organized and connected with a national and international organization:

” … [A]uthorities following them believe they are organized via decentralized networks of cells that coordinate with each other. Often, they spend weeks planning for violence at upcoming events…

Dozens of armed anti-fascist groups have emerged, including Redneck Revolt and the Red Guards, according to the reports and interviews. One report from New Jersey authorities said self-described antifa groups have been established in cities including New York, Philadelphia, Chicago and San Francisco.

Some of the DHS and FBI intelligence reports began flagging the antifa protesters before the election.

That means that with federal law enforcement involved could be designated a continuing criminal enterprise and those in it charged with giving material support to a terrorist organization.

For real victims, that means that there is another avenue for justice outside the Leftist Multnomah County Courthouse. And that means the possibilities of civil rights violations charges against  Antifa and the system of justice that rewards their violence with light sentences and low bail.

To sum up: Antifa is a violent, anarchistic group, with national and international ties, that uses violence and destruction as a weapon of terror. The Pacific Northwest is the biggest hotbed of this activity. If Portland, Oregon is ground zero, Mike Strickland was patient zero.

Give here to his defense fund.