Update (1755ET): And just like that, the UN has deleted their tweet professing support for Antifa.
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President Trump wants to label Antifa a terrorist organization, which he first announced late last month in response to mayhem unleashed related to the George Floyd protests, which in many cities included rioting, looting, and large-scale vandalism.
He had declared so via Twitter on May 31 in follow-up to Attorney General William Barr's statement at the time: "The violence instigated and carried out by antifa and other similar groups in connection with the rioting is domestic terrorism and will be treated accordingly."
To the surprise of many, the United Nations has now issued a statement rebuking the White House attempt to impose the legal designation. Upon a UN statement being issued on Friday, counter-terrorism expert Max Abrahms at first thought it was a joke, but no it's not The Onion:
UN #HumanRights experts express profound concern over a recent statement by the US Attorney-General describing #Antifa and other anti-fascist activists as domestic terrorists, saying it undermines the rights to freedom of expression and of peaceful assembly in the country. pic.twitter.com/2Pz2dMyq8k— UN Geneva (@UNGeneva) June 19, 2020
The UN Geneva office cited unnamed experts associated with its Human Rights Council to express "profound concern over a recent statement by the US Attorney-General describing [Antifa] and other anti-fascist activists as domestic terrorists, saying it undermines the rights to freedom of expression and of peaceful assembly in the country."
This even after there's been widespread uncertainty and debate over just who or what the group actually is. Or Antifa might more appropriately be seen as a loosely defined movement espousing radical Leftist ideology. But the new UN statement appears positively supportive given it clearly asserted that Antifa is composed of mere "anti-fascist activists".
PaulaAndra Aigner
The unusual UN tweet and statement was widely mocked via conservative social media, for example with OAN journalist Jack Posobiec tweeting: “The United Nations is running cover for an international extremist group that has conducted violent insurrectionist attacks across North America and Europe.”
He further stated ironically: “Antifa doesn’t exist and also the UN just endorsed them.”
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