Conservatives look at this picture and see intolerant antifa extremists invading a peaceful conservative country because they have different political opinions.
It’s right there in the name - Anti-FAscist. If someone thinks AnTiFA is bad, check if they’re waving fascist flags before engaging in any debate with them in a good faith.
No, they weren't. They famously co-opted the "socialist" name because the actual socialists of the time were by far the largest voting base. It was an attempt to attract some of them to their own party.
Like everything a conservative does, putting the word "socialist" in the party name was deception and manipulation. It's like when conservatives append the word "freedom" or "family" to something that is absolutely not supportive of those values.
Wasn’t the issue the use of “antifa” by US “press” to describe anyone violent at any protest? I’m not American, here in EU it’s not a term that is used, at all.
That's ultimately what it ended up being. 10 years ago your average person had never heard of it. And your average redneck was completely clueless about it. But over the last 10 years corporate media has turned it from an obscure group from World War II Europe. Into one of the new Boogeyman they constantly beat against.
This was largely due to the fact of the groups rather libertarian / anarchist structure. There aren't any real Representatives or any solid membership etc etc etc. Just a nebulous group that's easy to misrepresent.
Yeah conservatives in 2019 were really riled up by the Antifa boogeyman they created and congress labeled them terrorists. Bill was introduced by Republicans - co-sponsored by Ted Cruz. What’s your point? 🤷♂️