The supposed revolution of the future will take place through violent Facebook ads, or at least that’s what the anarchists from the leftist “Antifa” movement would like you to think. The anarchists’ latest form of activism has been to purchase calls to action on Facebook, that have violent underlining messages.
Smash Racism DC, or AntifaDC, paid for sponsored posts on the social media platform to advertise an upcoming rally called “Antifa Re-masked: the Potluck.” The event follows a previously hosted one called Antifa Unmasked, where attendees learned about the anarchist and self-described “anti-fascist” movement’s history and present philosophies.
The new event, slated for Saturday, April 15 at The Electric Maid—a concert venue in Washington DC—is a day-long gathering, featuring a workshop on “security culture.” It’s a soft term for having a list of protocols and measures to enable evading law enforcement. Members of communities that practice “security culture,” like Antifa, do so to minimize risk of surveillance and capture by the police.
Attendees will also be taught on how to “mask up effectively,” enabling them to commit acts of violence without being identified. And of course, members can participate in “plenty of community-building conversation over food!”
The group declared in its event statement that it believes the police and the courts “reinforce oppressive systems,” and added that Antifa members must “protect ourselves and fight for deeper justice.”
“We commit to doing the necessary work to build a broad, strong movement against racism, sexism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, homophobia, transphobia, discrimination against the disabled, the oldest, the youngest, and the most oppressed people,” the anarchist organization declared.
Although they’re intent on disabling capitalist systems and tearing down commerce, they’re somehow fine with paying a buck to make a statement. They’ll use Facebook on their Apple phones, all the while demonizing the evils of capitalism. Perhaps they would do well to remember that biting the hand that feeds doesn’t always end well. After all, who would make the iPhones once the capitalists are gone?
Ian Miles Cheong is a journalist and outspoken media critic. You can reach him through social media at @stillgray on Twitter and on Facebook.
