In the wake of tragic events in Charlottesville, VA, and Donald Trump’s
initial refusal to denounce the white nationalists behind it all, the
“antifa” opposition movement is suddenly appearing everywhere. But
what is it, precisely? And where did it come from?
As long as there has been fascism, there has been anti-fascism — also
known as “antifa.” Born out of resistance to Mussolini and Hitler in
Europe during the 1920s and ’30s, the antifa movement has suddenly
burst into the headlines amidst opposition to the Trump administration
and the alt-right. They could be seen in news reports, often clad all
in black with balaclavas covering their faces, fighting police at the
presidential inauguration, on California college campuses protesting
right-wing speakers, and, most recently, on the streets of Charlottesville,
VA, protecting, among others, a group of ministers including Cornel
West from neo-Nazi violence. (West would later tell reporters, “The
anti-fascists saved our lives.”)
Simply, antifa aims to deny fascists the opportunity to promote their
oppressive politics, and to protect tolerant communities from acts of
violence promulgated by fascists. Critics say shutting down political
adversaries is anti-democratic; antifa adherents argue that the horrors of
fascism must never be allowed the slightest chance to triumph again.
In a smart and gripping investigation, historian and former Occupy
Wall Street organizer Mark Bray provides a detailed survey of the full
history of anti-fascism from its origins to the present day — the first
transnational history of postwar anti-fascism in English. Based on
interviews with anti-fascists from around the world, Antifa details the
tactics of the movement and the philosophy behind it, offering insight
into the growing but little-understood resistance fighting back against
fascism in all its guises.
