AfD praises US decision to brand anti-fascists as terrorists

Germany's far-right AfD party has welcomed the US government's decision to classify a prominent German antifascist group and three other European networks as terrorist organisations, calling on Berlin and other European governments to follow the example.

- Kate Connolly Berlin Angela Giuffrida Rome Ashifa Kassam Madrid

But historians of anti-fascism warned that, at a time when far-right groups were making electoral gains across the continent, the move set a dangerous precedent that could pave the way for a broader crackdown on leftwing activism.

The US state department announced on Thursday that the ban would apply to Germany’s Antifa Ost, an antifascist group whose members have been prosecuted by German authorities for attacks on far-right figures; Italy’s International Revolutionary Front, which sent explosive packages to the then-president of the European Commission in 2003; and two organisations accused of planting bombs in Greece: Armed Proletarian Justice and Revolutionary Class Self Defense.

The AfD has long called for German authorities to make a similar ruling against antifascist groups.

“Antifa is a terrorist organisation, and it would be easy for the German state to take action against it, only those in power don’t want to,” said Stephan Brandner, the deputy federal spokesperson for the AfD.