A prosecution of anti-fascist activists in San Diego is being denounced by some experts as biased and political. I might as well have serious implications for how the movement known as Antifa is prosecuted across the country.
Meanwhile, a new book about the Proud Boys reveals a detailed written plan for a march on New York just days after the January 6 uprising.
It is the week of extremism.
Antifa on trial
My in-depth investigation into the prosecution of 11 anti-fascist activists in San Diego was published this week. In the first case of its kind, the defendants have been charged with multiple crimes and the San Diego County District Attorney alleges they were involved in a conspiracy to commit a riot.
Experts said the case could serve as a template for conservative prosecutors across the country.
- The case centers on a clash on January 9, 2021, three days after the January 6 uprising, between far-right agitators and anti-fascists. The far-right group descended on San Diego’s Pacific Beach neighborhood looking for a fight. Anti-fascists from Los Angeles and San Diego were there to rally them, and sporadic acts of violence occurred throughout the day.
- Almost a year later, the local DA announced charges, but only against the anti-fascists. None of the far-right pro-Trump group was charged. Experts said this makes the prosecution look political.
- The prosecution is not just for the fight. Alleged Antifa activists are charged with conspiracy, based on allegations that they coordinated their attacks. This could double their sentences.
And there are other questions about the case:
- DA Summer Stephan also has a history of pushing far-right conspiracy theories about Antifa.
- My research revealed that the alleged victims in the case include people identified as some of Southern California’s most notorious white supremacists, including members of a group the Anti-Defamation League calls “hard core white supremacists.”
Food to take away: The San Diego case is a test for prosecutors across the country, experts say. If the 11 defendants are convicted, it could send a message to conservative prosecutors that they can prosecute Antifa more like a gang than a loosely organized political movement.
Extremism Monitors:Extremist Watchers: How a network of researchers is looking for the next hate-fueled attack
Where has Antifa been?:Anti-fascist groups moved away from street protests, not activism
Proud to plan Boys
The far-right extremist street gang the Proud Boys are not particularly known for their planning. The group specializes more in showing up to right-wing events and getting into fights. But a newly released document shows that at least some members of the group had a thorough and detailed plan for a Jan. 10 march in New York City, just days after the Jan. 6 uprising.
- The document, published by the Guardian this week, details security planning, links with the New York Police Department and communications details for the march.
It is not the first written protest plan related to the group. Earlier this year, I wrote about a Proud Boys document titled “1776 Returns” that was attached as an exhibit in a filing in the federal conspiracy case against the organization. That document contained similar details to the newly discovered one.
- Read more: The document was obtained from a member of the Proud Boys by extremism journalist Andy Campbell, who has just published a book about the group.
“Devastating Evidence”:‘Devastating Evidence’: The presentation reveals a plan by the Proud Boys to storm buildings on January 6
Inside the proud boys:They joined the Wisconsin Proud Boys in search of brotherhood. They found racism, bullying and anti-Semitism.
Catch up on last week:A White House summit on hate-fueled violence and another QAnon murder
