By Mahima Joshi,News18

Copyright news18

In a big announcement, US President Donald Trump on Thursday said that he is designating the left-wing group ‘Antifa’ as “a major terrorist organisation” and also warned that those funding it will be investigated “with the highest legal standards and practices”. The move comes following the assassination of right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, the US President called Antifa a “sick, dangerous, and radical left disaster”.
What Is Antifa?
Antifa is a secretive grouping of radical activists that has emerged in recent years. The members of the group, often dressed entirely in black, protest against racism, far-right values and what they consider fascism, and say violent tactics are sometimes justified as self-defense.
The group frequently conducts counter-protests to disrupt far-right gatherings and rallies. They often organise in black blocs (ad hoc gatherings of individuals that wear black clothing, ski masks, scarves, sunglasses, and other material to conceal their faces), use improvised explosive devices and other homemade weapons, and resort to vandalism.
In June 2016, for example, Antifa and other protestors confronted a neo-Nazi rally in Sacramento, California, with at least five people stabbed.
In February, March, and April 2017, Antifa members attacked alt-right demonstrators at the University of California, Berkeley using bricks, pipes, hammers, and homemade incendiary devices.
In July 2019, William Van Spronsen, a self-proclaimed Antifa, attempted to bomb the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Tacoma, Washington, using a propane tank but was killed by police.