The masked, black-clad, anti-fascist protesters, better known as “antifa,” faced new criticism this week and calls to be labeled as a gang following weekend violence in Berkeley, where the group’s approach to countering white supremacists has come under fire.

The group’s name is gaining mainstream notoriety following a deadly day of protests in Charlottesville, Virginia, and President Donald Trump ’s comments blaming them and others for the violence in there this month.

Related: Trump says 'alt-left' bears some blame for Charlottesville. What exactly is it?

Outside of that, few people know the group’s history, what it stands for or whether they are dangerous. Some have debated whether they are the moral equivalent of neo-Nazis, as one columnist for The Washington Post put it.

To understand the conversation around this group and its actions, here’s a brief look at the role it has played in recent protests.

What is “antifa”?

“Antifa” is a leftist group that opposes fascism, white supremacy and forms of oppression such as racism, sexism, and homophobia. The group tends to lean liberal but it is not centrally organized and does not promote a specific political platform, according to Mark Bray, a historian and an author of a book on the group.

Other left-leaning groups, however, are often identified with the anti-fascist movement including some named “By Any Means Necessary,” or BAMN, and the “Redneck Revolt,” the magazine Mother Jones reported. And while “antifa” members have lately been seen at protests countering white supremacist groups, the black-clad group is not new.

https://twitter.com/Eugene_Scott/status/897419789139939328

Where does it come from?

The rise of the anti-fascist movement grew out of World War I to counter fascism in Italy, Germany and other parts of Europe in the 1920s where Nazi and neo-Nazi movements were seen as a threat to freedom.

Why do “antifa” members wear masks?

Wearing protective gear and masks have allowed “antifa” members to remain anonymous and free of risk of retaliation. In a Reddit online discussion, apparent “antifa” members explained their reasons to wear masks:

“Antifas are targets. Masks are to protect us, specially because our identity isnt the point of our action, for the libertarians (anarchists) or the apolitical that are unheard and riot because its their only tool left,” wrote one user.

What makes them so controversial?

The group’s philosophy to stop fascism by any means necessary has given many of its members the motivation to use violence to counter white supremacists and neo-Nazis. Though not all protesters are violent, many have been accused of using violence at their rallies.

A June protest in Portland, Oregon, resulted in 14 arrests after violence broke out between white supremacists and counter-protesters, KGW-TV reported. Arrests followed under similar circumstances in Chicago in mid-August and most recently in Berkeley.

In this widely shared video, a group of “antifa” protesters can be seen beating an “apparent alt-righter,” according to Shane Bauer, the journalist who caught the confrontation on video.

https://twitter.com/shane_bauer/status/901910682030882816

What happened in Berkeley and how has it affected the group’s reputation?

A gathering of far-right groups, including Trump supporters, ended in violence when they were met by counter-protesters at a park in Berkeley on Sunday. According to reports, protesters were accused of exchanging blows, using pepper spray and carrying weapons.

No one was reported to have been seriously hurt or killed.

Conservatives and Trump supporters typically criticize the “antifa” of using violence — in some cases they call them terrorists — but the incident in Berkeley was so egregious that even one key Democrat denounced the group and even the city’s mayor has called for it to be labeled a gang.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi , D-San Francisco, on Tuesday blamed the group by name for the violence in Berkeley.

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The day before, Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin called on the group to be labeled as a gang and called on for UC Berkeley to cancel a week-long event set to feature the far-right provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos .

“I think we should classify them as a gang,” Arreguin told CBS affiliate KPIX-TV. “They come dressed in uniforms. They have weapons, almost like a militia and I think we need to think about that in terms of our law enforcement approach.”

Where does “antifa” go next?

On Wednesday, the university confirmed to The Washington Post that its so-called “Free Speech Week,” from Sept. 24-27, was still set to go on. The events include conservative speakers like Yiannopoulos that are likely to draw “antifa” groups to protest their presence.

Meanwhile, anti-fascist groups continue to organize rallies and counter-protests in other places, all through Facebook. In one Facebook Page, a Berkeley-based “antifa” group organized a rally there with a flier saying, “Nazis are coming. Defend Berkeley!”

“Antifa” groups have not earned the level of condemnation that neo-Nazis and white supremacists received in the aftermath of Charlottesville, but so far their actions have been met with some criticism.

Do you agree with the philosophy of anti-fascists to counter neo-Nazis at whatever cost or do you think they should refrain from using violence? Join the conversation and share your thoughts on the subject.

Have some thoughts to share?

Join me in a conversation: Shoot me a private email with your thoughts or ideas on a different approach to this story. As always, you can also send us a tweet.

Email: luis.gomez@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @RunGomez

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