About

Antifa is the modern name for Anti-fascism, the more militant movement of the left that stands in opposition to fascist ideologies, often with violent methods.

History

Anti-fascism started in Italy with the creation of organizations such as Arditi del Popolo and the Italian Anarchist Union following World War I in order to combat the nationalist and fascist surge in the country.^[1] In the years leading up to World War II, the Italian movement began to spread into the Balkans and Albania, while anti-fascist groups started in Germany, Spain, France, and the United Kingdom. In the United States, anti-fascist groups began in opposition to organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan and the Friends of New Germany. During the Red Scare, a post-WWII witch hunt for communist sympathizers, being anti-fascist "prematurely" (before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor) was cause for suspicion.

Antifa in the United States

Following the presidential election of Donald Trump, anti-fascist groups, commonly known as Antifa, began garnering mainstream attention for their response to certain events, particularly the Punch of Richard Spencer. The event started a national dialogue on what was acceptable resistance in the face of white nationalism. Antifa groups made waves again when they protested alt-right provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos speaking at UC Berkeley. That led to a profile of the Antifa movement on Wired,^[2] who investigated the online war between Antifa groups and Neo-Nazis.

Related Memes

Bash the Fash

Bash the Fash is a phrase used by antifascists advocating violence as an acceptable form of resistance against fascism. Although the phrase had been a slogan for antifascist groups since at least the 1980's it saw a resurgence after Richard Spencer was punched in the face.

Search Interest

External References