ROCIC SPECIAL RESEARCH REPORT

 

 

/'0 \

;

Regional Organized Crime Information Center

Special Research Report • ANTIFA

~

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - """'· ROCIC ~l

ANTI FA/ANTI-ANTI FA

J:f&MTIN& IN TME srRlll!liillllliii
ROCIC Publications © 2017

R

ecent political events have thrust opposing
groups ofextremists to the forefront, ofparticular
concern to law enforcement since their tactics often
lead to violence, bodily harm, property destruction
and attacks against police. These groups go way
beyond any peaceful demonstrators or protesters;
in fact, they often convert peaceful, lawful protest
into violent confrontations.
On Sat., April 8, 2017, a small group of protesters
identifying as the Alt-Right gathered in front of
the White House to vocally oppose the bombing
of Syria by American military forces. Counterprotesters began an equally vocal, but peaceful,
shouting match with the group, which was led by
the well-known white supremacist Richard Spencer.
Members of Antifa, one wearing a red mask, moved
in quickly, hitting members of a film crew with a
rolled up banner and shouting, "No Nazis, no KKK,
no fascist USN' Other Antifa carried communist
flags and signs that read "the future is feminist:'

Antifa (short for anti-fascist) is
an alliance between anarchists and
communists to confront and defeat
fascists and white supremacists
by whatever means necessary.
Scuffling ensued between the two groups, requiring
the police to create a barrier to keep the two groups
apart. Obscenities were hurled between the groups
of protesters. "F-ck you, Nazi" evoked the response,
"Get a job, Commie!"
On Inauguration Day in Washington, D.C.,
Antifas infiltrated peaceful protests to inflict
violence, destruct property, and erect barricades to
disrupt flow of traffic. On Feb. 1, 2017, approximately
150 Antifas practicing black bloc tactics stormed
police barricades in Berkeley, Calif., launched
fireworks and torched a portable police spotlight as
they successfully disrupted a campus speech by Alt-

1
Dissemination Restricted to Law Enforcement
2018-IALI-00007-000208

 /'0 \

;

Regional Organized Crime Information Center

Special Research Report • ANTIFA

~

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - """'· ROCIC ~l

HIS IS \./AR
Demonstrators in Berkeley. California.

Right celebrity Milo Yiannopoulos.
Speeches by white supremacist Spencer at
Texas A&M on Dec. 6, 2016 and at Auburn (Ala.)
University on April 18, 2017 were met by hundreds
of protestors, including Antifa supporters. Three
people were arrested in Auburn, where police
required masked protesters to remove their masks
under a state law originally enacted to prevent Ku
Klux Klan members from hiding their identities. At
Texas A&M police in riot gear forceably removed
a mob of protestors from the student union. Two
arrests were made. A separate "silent protest"
was also held in the school's Rudder Plaza. One
protester, a college student, told the local press:
"Last time Nazis took over in the world there wasn't
all this love and hugs that got rid of them, it was the
communists. It was the anti-fascist fighters:'
Antifa (short for anti-fascist) is an alliance
between anarchists and communists to confront and
defeat fascists and white supremacists by whatever
means necessary. It is the most aggressive and
militant response to the 2016 national elections. The
Antifas claim they are opposed to fascism in all its

White Nationalist and Supremacist Richard Spencer

2

Dissemination Restricted to Law Enforcement
2018-IALI-00007-000209

 /'0 \

;

Regional Organized Crime Information Center

Special Research Report • ANTIFA

~

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - """'· ROCIC ~l

•

.

I

.

~ .

~

-----

·j

,•.
,;.·,

' !J.

~

. --j

w

-

Demonstrators in BerkeIey. California.
,

forms - sexism, racism, homophobia, government
corruption, and Islamophobia.
As organizers from anti-fascist research and
news site Antifa NYC told leftist The Nation
magazine: '½.ntifa combines radical left-wing
and anarchist politics, revulsion at racists, sexists,
homophobes, anti-Semites, and Islamophobes, with
the international anti-fascist culture of taking the
streets and physically confronting the brownshirts
of white supremacy, whoever they may be'.'
This Antifa coalition has existed for as long as
fascism has - the Italian Arditi del Popolo (People's
Squads) rose to fight Mussolini in 1921, even when
the Socialist and Communist Parties refused to
support them. In 1924, anarchist lumberjacks allied
with the Industrial Workers of the World waged a
"drawn battle" with a Ku Klux Klan recruitment
drive in Greenville, Maine. Antifas have been
opposing and counter-protesting white supremacist

and neo-Nazi extremists for years, sometimes
resulting in violence and attacks on police, but the
presidential campaign and election of 2016 ramped
up the rhetoric and the purposefulness of the socalled Antifas, who now see the object of their scorn
occupying the highest level of government. Much of
the confrontations are carried out over Internet chat
sites and social media. A popular meme online is to
"bash the fash (fascist):'
Opposing the Antifa are the Anti-Antifa, a loose
collection of white supremacists, neo-Nazis, white
nationalists, Ku Klux Klanners, white identity
groups, and a group called the Alt-Right. The AltRight is short for alternative right-wing. Basically,
Alt-Right refers to extreme right-wingers who
reject traditional conservatism in favor of a white
or European national identity hostile to nonwhites and Jews in particular. In foreign policy
and relations, they tend to be isolationists. One

3

Dissemination Restricted to Law Enforcement
2018-IALI-00007-000210

 /'0 \

;

Regional Organized Crime Information Center

Special Research Report • ANTIFA

~

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - """'· ROCIC ~l

IIJJ
~

:. ' •.

~, -

.

I

'

. . . . .·• : •i · ' ' ' .
-·.. .
'

~·~ C"! -

4 "1 ==

... ~ :.:. ,,, .

-~

\

of the basic tenets of Alt-Right politics is to label
traditional conservatives as emasculated or
effeminate. See page 9 for a detailed explanation of
Alt-Right groups.
So it's the anarchists versus the nationalists,
the communists versus the Nazis, the left-wing
extremists versus the right-wing extremists, and
the confrontations are becoming more violent and
destructive.
''American anti-fascists have been fighting a
mostly quiet conflict with domestic Nazis at punk
rock venues and small white-nationalist gatherings

for decades, but, as fascists have snuck their
collective jackboot into the curved door of the Oval
Office, the struggle has reached the mainstream;'
according to an article in Pacific Standard magazine.
The colors, signs, and symbols of Antifa and
Anti-Antifa (see pages 5-6 and 10-15) are similar
and sometimes based on the other side's, which can
lead to confusion if details are not scrutinized. The
anarchists wave a black flag, while the communists
prefer the red flag. Antifas combine the two.
Antifas and Anti-Antifas each try to use social
(Continued on Page 7)

4

Dissemination Restricted to Law Enforcement
2018-IALI-00007-000211

 /'0 \

;

Regional Organized Crime Information Center

Special Research Report • ANTIFA

~

- - - - - - - - - - - - """'· ROCIC ~l

Antifa-Left Wing
Anarchists
TRAUMA
DEATH

BLUNT
VIOLENT

~

f

LOSS OF
FREEDOM VILIFICATION
OF MINORITIES
INCREASED MILITARISM

FLUSH THEM IMMEDIATELY
INGEST
CHILDREN
PETS

NE\fEI~
F ,1s1::1s1s

STIIEET~

•-

KEEP
CALM
FIGHT
FASCISM!

SAN GABRIEL VALLEY
ANTI - REPRESSION COMMITTEE

5
Dissemination Restricted to Law Enforcement
2018-IALI-00007-000212

 /'0 \

;

Regional Organized Crime Information Center

Special Research Report • ANTIFA

~

- - - - - - - - - - - """'· ROCIC ~l

,\NTl·,\NTIF ,\
Anti-Antifa-Right Wing Anarchists

LOVE YOUR NATION
Hrl\TE ANTIFA
ANTI-ANTI FA.NET

6
Dissemination Restricted to Law Enforcement
2018-IALI-00007-000213

 /'0 \

;

Regional Organized Crime Information Center

Special Research Report • ANTIFA

~

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - """'· ROCIC ~l

offensive (Molotov cocktails), or both (a placard that
can double as a shield). A person with a megaphone
told the group the route they'd be marching, and
they set off toward campus, many carrying banners
and flags and projectiles. Along the way, they
chanted, "No borders, no nations, f-ck deportation:'
About one thousand protesters shouted "Shut it
down" at the student union, site of the Yiannopoulos
speech, when the black bloc arrived. The Antifas
quickly and efficiently stormed the multi-layered
police barricades that kept the crowd away from
the entrances of student union. Sequined pink flags
were revealed to be mounted on fireworks, which
were launched at the building. Others smashed
windows with the disassembled police barricades.
A portable police spotlight was toppled, graffitied,
and eventually torched. They clashed with the
police and Yiannopoulos supporters. They set fires,
threw Molotov cocktails and smashed windows.
One of them pepper-sprayed a woman as a reporter
interviewed her. Off campus, they vandalized shops
and halted traffic. At around 9 pm, the university
canceled the event, but the demonstrations
continued for several hours, until those dressed in
black slipped into the night. Campus police made
just one arrest.
The Antifas attack storefronts and clash with
police in a "hit and run" style, wrote University ofSan
Francisco associate professor Jeffrey Paris. There is
no formal network of people and no set principles,
just a belief that demonstrating peacefully doesn't
accomplish nearly as much as a flash of rage.
The German press coined the term black
bloc in the 1980s, when activists in that country
demonstrated for squatters' rights and other causes.
In 1987, the New York Times described a German
black bloc as "a radical and embittered fringe" that
burned cars, smashed windows and hurled bottles
and firecrackers. Activists went on to use the black
bloc strategy in Canada, Brazil, the United Kingdom,
Italy, Switzerland and, during the Arab Spring, in
Egypt. In the early 1990s, it appeared in the United
States during protests against the Gulf War, and in
1999 it gained traction during the famous World
Trade Organization conference in Seattle, when
activists used sledgehammers, eggs filled with glass-

(Continued from Page 4)

media to their advantage. During an on-camera
interview at the inauguration, Alt-Right leader
Richard Spencer was punched in the face by an
Antifa agitator and the resulting Antifa propaganda
video went viral, with a video game created for
virtual punchers.
The "Good Night White Pride" mantra stems
from a 1998 incident in Ann Arbor, Mich. in which
an 18-year-old anti-racist kicked a KKK protester
in the head, a violent moment caught by a news
photographer. The photo has been used in logos,
posters, banners, and other Antifa graphics.
Both sides also participate in <loxing, the Internetbased practice of researching and broadcasting
private or identifiable information (especially
personally identifiable information) about an
individual or organization. (See ROCIC Special
Research Reports "CyberTrends" and also "Phishing:
Don't Take the Bait:') The methods employed to
acquire this information include searching publicly
available databases and social media websites (such
as Facebook), hacking, and social engineering.
Antifas often employ black bloc tactics during
their protests. A perfect example of successful
Antifa black bloc attacks occurred at the Berkeley
protest when right-winger Milos Yiannopoulos
was slated to speak at the University of California
(site of the free speech movement of the 1960s).
Yiannopoulos is a gay Jewish provacateur and a
controversial Breitbart News editor. In a previous
talk at University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee,
Yiannopoulos mocked a transgender student, and
California administrators had warned that he might
use the Berkeley appearance to target individual
undocumented students in hopes of getting them
deported.
On Feb. 1, 2017, hours before Yiannopoulos
was about to speak, approximately 150 marchers
gathered off campus where Antifa told them to
meet. They dressed in all black outfits, with many
wrapping T-shirts around their faces, leaving
slits for the eyes. Some wear black between layers
of "civilian" clothes so they can slip in and out of
their protester ensembles. They often carry gear
that is defensive (masks to protect against tear gas),

7

Dissemination Restricted to Law Enforcement
2018-IALI-00007-000214

 /'0 \

;

Regional Organized Crime Information Center

Special Research Report • ANTIFA

~

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - """'· ROCIC ~l

etching solution, and other equipment.
"The rulebook has been thrown out;' said one of
the protesters at Berkeley. "It's absolutely acceptable
to use violence. They are 100 percent certain to use
it against us:'
"This was a group of agitators who were masked
up, throwing rocks, commercial-grade fireworks,
and Molotov cocktails at officers;' said UC.Berkeley Police Sgt. Sabrina Reich in a news report.
The physical violence may have been directed at
police officers, stated the conservative Washington
Times, but the mob of Antifa terrorists that violently
attacked the [student union ... ] were as much
declaring war on the ideology of the man for whom
the building is named and its citizens. America's left
was sending a message: Violence is the answer.
Some argue the meaning of "violence:' An
anonymous Antifa online post argues that
destruction of property and vandalism is not
violence, but things such as not having healthcare
and poverty are violence.
"Our side is growing and also prepared to be
more politically militant and support more militant
struggle;' Yvette Felarca, a leader of the Antifa
terrorist organization, By Any Means Necessary,
told Al Jazeera. "If the movement continues building
as large and as powerfully in this direction, we can
defeat Trump, his entire racist agenda, and get him
out without waiting for the next election."
Black-dad Antifa activists in Sacramento,
California, made national headlines in June 2016
when they faced off against a white nationalist
group, the Traditionalist Workers Party, in a melee
at the state capitol that sent 10 people to the hospital.
"We see folks employ the black bloc tactics en
masse like that basically anywhere where you have
either a conservative cause, such as what we had
with the Milo event in Berkeley, or any time you
have a guaranteed media presence, such as political
conventions, G-8 summits;' said Kory Flowers, a

police sergeant in Greensboro, North Carolina, and
an expert on extremist groups. "Half of these folks
don't know the particulars about the cause:'
Stephen Zunes, a University of San Francisco
professor who has studied social movements, told
the San Francisco Chronicle something similar in
2003. "They're basically hoodlums looking for a
mass rally to ride the coattails of. They don't have
a political agenda. And the worst thing is that they
don't have any leaders you can negotiate with:'
According to an article in The Blaze:
"The anti-fascist group at Clemson University has
been openly promoting violence and destruction on
campus against what they are calling 'fascists; and
'Nazis; causing many students to worry for their
own safety.
"According to Campus Reform, an Antifa group
calling itself 'Upstate Antifa' had posted Clemson
University campus in South Carolina with fliers
bearing a picture of a fist punching a swastika, with
the message 'Fighting fascism is a social duty, not an
anti-social crime:
"Below the image, written by hand appear the
words 'Support your local Antifa group, and take
a stand against racism, misogyny, and xenophobia!
Unite!' It then gives the address for the group's
Facebook page. Before that, a similar poster was
spotted on a park bench near a church that read
'Fascism is not to be debated. It is to be smashed': '
A recent demonstration of force in Phoenix,
Arizona, was so unsettling it left liberal Phoenix
New Times columnist Stephen Lemons wondering
if "bloodshed is on the horizon'.'
"In hindsight, it occurs to me that if a left-wing
militia and a right-wing militia .. . cross paths at
a future demonstration, there very easily could be
bloodshed;' Lemons wrote. "Both sides are loaded
for bear. And I get the feeling both sides can
rationalize their behavior after the fact, even if it
comes down to killing someone:'

8

Dissemination Restricted to Law Enforcement
2018-IALI-00007-000215

 /'0 \

;

Regional Organized Crime Information Center

Special Research Report • ANTIFA

~

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - """'· ROCIC ~l

Alt-Right or Alternative Right Stresses White Supremacy

P

eople who identify with the Alt-Right regard
mainstream or traditional conservatives as weak
and impotent, largely because they do not sufficiently
support racism and anti-Semitism. Alt-Righters
frequently disparage the conservative movement by
using the derogatory term "cuckservative;' a combination of "conservative" and "cuckold:' This term is used
by white supremacists to describe a white Christian
conservative who promotes the interests of Jews and
non-whites over those of whites. However, not every
person who identifies with the Alt-Right is a white
supremacist.
White supremacist Richard Spencer, who runs the
National Policy Institute think tank, coined the term
"Alternative Right" for an online publication that
debuted in 2010. The on line publication changed hands
in 2013 when Spencer shut it down. It was soon relaunched by Colin Liddell and Andy Nowicki, who were
former writers for Alternative Right. Spencer went on to
found another online journal, Radix. Both Alternative
Right and Radix act as forums for racists, anti-Semites,
and others who identify with the Alt-Right.
Alt-Right adherents identify with a range of different
ideologies that put white identity at their centers.
Many claim themselves as ldentitarians, a term that
originated in France with the founding of the Bloc
ldentitaire movement and its youth counterpart,
Generation ldentitaire. ldentitarians espouse racism
and intolerance under the guise of preserving the
ethnic and cultural origins of their respective counties.
American ldentitarians such as Richard Spencer claim
to want to preserve European-American (i.e., white)
culture in the U.S. As Michael McGregor, a writer
and editor for Radix, wrote, ldentitarians want "the
preservation of our identity-the cultural and genetic
heritage that makes us who we are:' ldentitarians reject
multiculturalism or pluralism in any form.
Others in the Alt-Right identify as so-called radical
traditionalists, people who want to preserve what
they claim are traditional Christian values but from
a uniquely white supremacist perspective. The
Traditionalist Youth Network is a group that espouses
a white supremacist form of Christianity and promotes
"family and folk" and separation of the races.
There are people with other beliefs who fall under
the umbrella of the Alt-Right but all share a fixation on
white identity as central to their ideology. However they

define themselves, Alt-Righters reject egalitarianism,
democracy, universalism, and multiculturalism.
A number of Alt-Righters are also blatantly antiSemitic and blame Jews for allegedly promoting antiwhite policies such as immigration and diversity.
The Alt-Right is an extremely loose movement, made
up of different strands of people connected to white
supremacy. One body of adherents is the ostensibly
"intellectual" racists who create many of the doctrines
and principles of the white supremacist movement.
They seek to attract young educated whites to the
movement by highlighting the achievements and
alleged intellectual and cultural superiority of whites.
They run a number of small white supremacist
enterprises that include think tanks, online
publications, and publishing houses. These include
Radix and Washington Summit Publishers, both run
by Richard Spencer; Counter Currents Publishing, run
by Greg Johnson; American Renaissance, run by Jared
Taylor; and The Right Stuff, a political and social blog
with a number of contributors. Another strand of the
Alt-Right consists of younger racists savvy with social
media and Internet communications.
Alt-Righters like to use terms such as "culture" as
substitutes for more lightning-rod terms such as
"race;' or promote "Western Civilization" as code for
white culture or identity. They do not make explicit
references to white supremacy such as the "14 words;'
a slogan used by neo-Nazis and other hardcore white
supremacists. The "14 words" refers to the expression,
"We must secure the existence of our people and a
future for white children:' Even though Alt-Righters
share the sentiment behind the "14 words;' they're
more inclined to talk about preserving EuropeanAmerican identity.
Though the Alt-Right is not a movement, per se, the
number of people who identify with it is growing. It
includes a number of young people who espouse racist
and anti-Semitic beliefs. It has a loud presence online.
The intellectual racists who identify as part of the AltRight also run a growing number of publications and
publishing houses that promote white supremacist
ideas. Their goal is to influence mainstream whites by
exposing them to the concept of white identity and
racial consciousness.
Source: Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt

9
Dissemination Restricted to Law Enforcement
2018-IALI-00007-000216

 /'0 \

;

Regional Organized Crime Information Center

Special Research Report • ANTIFA

~

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - """'· ROCIC ~l

Antifa and Anti-Antifa emblems initially appear similar. Anti-Antifa groups have
appropriated some of Antifa's symbolism for several reasons: displaying openly Nazi
symbols is illegal in many countries; to ridicule what the symbols represent; and to
mimic the success of left-wing movements. Antifa and Anti-Antifa symbols appear
as logos, flags, tattoos, patches, graffiti, signs, stickers, and on clothing. Logos are
similar so it can be easy to misinterpret which group individuals are affiliated with.
Anti-Antifa Symbols

Antifa Symbols

The Antifa emblem consists of a black circle with red
and black flags in t he center. Distinguishing attributes
include the words Antifa or Ant ifascist Action (in various
languages) w ritten on the black circle. Sometimes the
name or specific location of a specific group is written.
The positions of the black and red flags can differ. The
origin of the symbol is the 1932 German communist
paramilitary movement Antifaschistische Aktion logo
that depicted the circle and the flags facing right in
red. Three arrows in a circle is another popular Antifa
symbol and sometimes appears on the flag. The
symbol of three arrows pointing southwest (to the
lower left) inside a circle originated with the German
1930's antifascist group Iron Front. It was designed to
easily cover Nazi swastikas. The Antifa international
website claims that the arrows currently stand for
equality, fraternity, and solidarity.

Anti-Antifa emblems consist of a black circle with
red and black flags in the center that are identical
to the Antifa logo. Distinguishing attributes include
variations of t he words and symbol s on the flags.
Anti-Antifa groups replace the words Antifa Action
w ith expressions such as Anti-Antifa Action and the
names and/or geographic locations of their group.
The Celtic Cross is often depicted on the black flag and
the swastika on t he red flag. Anti-Antifa graphics have
included t he No symbol (a circle with a red diagonal
line through it) encircling the Antifa symbol and other
popular white supremacist symbols. The swastika is
the symbol of the Nazi Party in Germany. It is the most
identifiable symbol of white supremacy in t he world.
The Celtic Cross (equal armed version) is one of the
most common white supremacist symbols in use. It
signifies white racial purity.

Source: Symbol Intelligence GroupLLC, 2017, www.symbolintellligence.com, Officer Awareness Bulletin, March15, 2017.

10

Dissemination Restricted to Law Enforcement
2018-IALI-00007-000217

 /'0 \

;

Regional Organized Crime Information Center

Special Research Report • ANTIFA

~

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - """'· ROCIC ~l

Antifa and Anti-Antifa Good Night Symbols
The Good Night White Pride, aka GNWP logo, originated from an actual incident in Ann Arbor,
Mich. On May 9, 1998, the KKK rallied and clashed with anti-racist counter-protesters. A photo of
Harlon Jones, 18, an anti-racist kicking a KKK member in the head, became the iconic silhouette
image of the logo. Good Night symbols appear as logos, flags, tattoos, patches, graffiti, signs,
stickers, and on clothing. There are many significant variations, and sometimes affiliations can
be confusing.

Antifa: Left-Wing Anarchists

Anti-Antifa: Right-Wing Nationalists

White Pride signifies white nationalist ideology. The
symbol on the victim is usually a swastika or other
white supremacist emblem to indicate who is losing
the fight. Variations include multiple offenders and
attack positions. Variations include Good Night AltRight and Good Night Right Side.

Red Side signifies socialist, communist, and left-w ing
ideologies. The symbol on t he victim is usually a
five-pointed red star or identifier of an Antifa group.
Image variations include multiple offenders and attack
positions. Text variations include Good Night Ant iWhite, Good Night Left Side, aka GNLS, and Good
Night Antifa Scum.

Source: Symbol Intelligence Group LLC, 2017, www.symbolintellligence.com, Officer Awareness Bulletin, March 15, 2017.

11

Dissemination Restricted to Law Enforcement
2018-IALI-00007-000218

 /'0 \

;

Regional Organized Crime Information Center

Special Research Report • ANTIFA

~

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ...... ROCIC ~l

Antifa Symbols

Philadelphia

Fort Pierce, FL

Berkeley, CA

Philadelphia

Bay Area, CA

1930slogo

Sydney, Australia

Catalan Countries

Norway

London, England

Sicily, Italy

Anti-Speciesism

Anonymous

Anti-Sexist

Support Antifa Prisoners

Portland, OR

Queer Antifa

Antifa Torch Network

Brittany, France

France

Anti-Homophobia

Basque Vegan

Source: Symbol Intelligence Group LLC, 2017, www.symbolintellligence.com, Officer Awareness Bulletin, March 15, 2017.

12

Dissemination Restricted to Law Enforcement
2018-IALI-00007-000219

 /'0 \

;

Regional Organized Crime Information Center

~

Special Research Report • ANTIFA

- - - - - - - - - - - - - """'· ROCIC ~l

Anti-Antifa - Autonomous Nationalists (AN)
The Autonomous Nationalists (AN) are a new
generation of primarily German neo-Nazis who
have adopted the far left's organizational concept
of autonomous activism, black bloc tactics and
symbolism as part of a"Third Position"ideology and as
a method to appeal to nationalist youth by mirroring
the subculture of global justice movements. In
addition to the Antifa logo, the AN has appropriated
some of the most popular left-wing symbols including
the iconic image of Che Guevara and the Palestinian
keffiyeh scarf. Their emblems include variations of
the Antifa logo, typically with the words Autonomous
Nationalists (in local languages) and the name of the
city or region. A common symbol of AN is the red
crossed hammer and sword which originated with
the 1930 group the Black Front, which advocated a
more radical anti-capitalist and worker-based form
of Nazism, a precursor of Third Position politics. AN
is active in Anti-Antifa actions. They are extremely
violent and have targeted Antifa protestors.

Source: Symbol Intelligence Group LLC, 2017, www.symbolintellligence.com, Officer Awareness Bulletin, March 15, 2017.

13
Dissemination Restricted to Law Enforcement
2018-IALI-00007-000220

 /'0 \

;

Regional Organized Crime Information Center

Special Research Report • ANTIFA

~

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ...... ROCIC ~l

Antifa Hooligans: Left-Wing Ultras
Football hooliganism involves conflict between association football clubs, aka soccer, for the purpose of
intimidating and physically attacking supporters of other teams. Certain teams have long-standing rivalries with
other clubs. Violence may take place before, during, or after matches and in extreme cases, hooligans, police, and
bystanders have been killed. Ultras are similar to hooligans in that they are renowned for ultra-fanatical support.
Although the terms are often used interchangeably, the main goal of hooligan clubs is to fight hooligans of other
clubs, while the main focus of ultras is generally to support their own team. Ultras are more influenced by political
ideas and some embrace extreme political ideologies ranging from white nationalists to anti-fascist. Their political
views are evident in their banners, signs, gestures, and graffiti.
Some left-wing radical ultras
are commonly referred to as
Antifa Ultra or Antifa Hooligans.
They display Antifa flags and
other socialist and communist
symbols, such as Che Guevara,
red stars, and red flags in their
emblems and banners at
stadiums.

Source: Symbol Intelligence GroupLLC, 2017, www.symbolintellligence.com, Officer Awareness Bulletin, March15, 2017.

14

Dissemination Rest ricted t o Law Enforcement
2018-IALI-00007-000221

 /'0 \

;

Regional Organized Crime Information Center

Special Research Report • ANTIFA

~

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - """'· ROCIC ~l

Anti-Antifa Hooligans: Right-Wing Ultras
Anti-Antifa football clubs openly
white
supremacist
display
symbols and neo-Nazi flags
during matches. A common
expression on banners and sig ns
is "100% Anti-Antifa'.' Some farright ultra fans have performed
Nazi salutes at soccer games.

~CJ

CASUALS AGAINSTCOMMUNISM ·,'.. ·. .

JINTI ~f~:
'Jl'N'TIFJl·'j~~ 11 ,
Stand firm, Strike Hard

·

.. .. ,.

.-

-~

.

. 't"'' U

·-.

.

•'

· , · .:. .,' '

;

.

-~

. . ... _
:'

. •.i'
',

(UL

ri r"1

.
'.

'.

·-. I
f\ ._. "';
,,.' ~ ...
'(,

.

.

·~. -, /:;,t~~~i, _.
•:

: .,.,

. ·

~

.,
,.. ·• N

)f
.

1· ·

J, • I

\

~

.

\\\\'i -~

Source: Symbol Intelligence Group LLC, 2017, www.symbolintellligence.com, Officer Awareness Bulletin, March 15, 2017.

15

Dissemination Restricted to Law Enforcement
2018-IALI-00007-000222

 /'0 \

;

Regional Organized Crime Information Center

Special Research Report • ANTIFA

~

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - """'· ROCIC ~l

ROCIC Can Assist Officers with Investigations
ROCICTraining and Officer Safety Resources
ROCIC Training Department
The ROCICTraining Department offers numerous

training opportunities for police officers,
including operational planning, social media, civil
unrest planning and response, risk avoidance,
crime scene management, and others. Training
courses can be found at www.rocic.com/training.
ROCIC Publications
Additional training publications can be found on

the ROCIC Publications webpage, including topics
on fraud, credit card crime, virtual currencies,
forged identification, gift card scams, burglaries
and thefts, crimes against the elderly, among
others. These publications can be accessed by
logging into your RISSNET account at https://
rocic.riss.net/publ ications.
ROCIC Officer Safety Website
RISS also offers officer safety resources on their
Officer Safety Website, including concealment

methods, law enforcement threats, gangs,
narcotics, domestic terrorism, sovereign citizens,
and armed and dangerous subjects. This
information can be accessed by logging into your
RISSNET account at https://officersafety.riss.net.
Other ROCIC Resources
ROCIC Criminal Intelligence Unit
The Intel Specialists with ROCIC's Criminal
Intelligence Unit (CIU) can access dozens of
research tools, specialized databases, public
record information, criminal justice information,
and data. They are able to search, retrieve,
compile, and provide a consolidated reporting

of findings to officers. This assistance helps
officers in need of quick, accurate, and complete

information. Information gained by ROCIC
can help develop leads, link criminal activity,
gain background information on suspects, and
quickly obtain driver's license photos.
RISS Intel
The RISS Criminal Intelligence Databases
(RISSlntel) provides for a real-time, on line
federated search of RISS and partner intelligence
databases, including state systems. Millions of
intelligence records are available via RISSlntel.
These records include individuals, organizations,
groups, and associates suspected of involvement
in criminal activity, as well as locations, vehicles,
weapons, and telephone numbers.
ROCIC Law Enforcement Coordinators
The ROCIC Law Enforcement Coordinators have
specialized email lists to get your information out
as fast as possible to jurisdictions that might be
affected by similar cases.
ROCIC Analytical Unit
The Analytical Unit converts complex

information into easy-to-understand charts and
presentations. The Audio and Video Forensic
Department can enhance photos and video
surveillance footage. The Computer Forensics
Department assists in collecting evidence from
electronic devices.
ROCIC Technical Services

The ROCIC Technical Services Unit loans
specialized equipment to member agencies at
no charge, including surveillance cameras and
recording devices.
More information on RISS and ROCIC
resources can be found at www.riss.net.

16
Dissemination Restricted to Law Enforcement
2018-IALI-00007-000223

 /'0 \

;

Regional Organized Crime Information Center

Special Research Report • ANTIFA

~

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - """'· ROCIC ~l

Sources of Information
Symbol Intelligence Group LLC, 2017, www.symbolintellligence.com, Officer Awareness Bulletin, March 15, 2017.
http://www. the blaze. com/n ews/2017/04/10/watch-re porter-assaulted-as-an tifa-clas hes-with-aIt-rig ht-during-anti-war-raIly/
Watch: Reporter assaulted as Antifa clashes with Alt-Right during anti-war rally
Brandon Morse Apr 10, 2017 8:05 pm
https://www.adl.org/education/resources/backgrounders/alt-right-a-primer-about-the-new-white-supremacy
Alt Right: A Primer about the New White Supremacy
Anti- Defamation League (AOL)
https://www.thenation.com/article/if-you-appreciated-seeing-neo-nazi-richard-spencer-get-punched-thank-the-black-bloc/
Neo-Nazi Richard Spencer Got Punched- You Can Thank the Black Bloc
The Nation, by Natasha Lennard, Jan. 22, 2017
https://psmag.com/antifascists-have-become-the-most-reasonable-people-in-america-92525aceabd5#.shmp88nhh
Meet Antifa , the Most Reasonable People in America
www.thenation.com/article/anti-fascist-activists-are-fighting-the-alt-right-in-the-streets/
Anti-Fascists Will Fight Trump's Fascism in the Streets
In stark contrast with many liberals, antifa activists refuse any dialogue with Trumpism.
The Nation, by Natasha Lennard, Jan. 19, 2017
https://www.thegu a rd ian.com/worl d/2017 /fe b/02/facism-alt-right-activi sts-trum p-m ilo-yia nn opou las
Anti-fascist activists take on Trump and the far right: 'Resistance is our only shot'
TheGuardian, by Julie Wong and Sam Levin, Feb. 2, 2017
http://www.newsweek.com/2017/02/24/berkeley-protest-milo-yiannopoulos-black-bloc-556264.html
Inside the Black Bloc Protest Strategy That Shut Down Berkeley
Newsweek, by Max Kutner, Feb. 14, 2017
https://www. thegu a rd ian.com/worl d/2017 /fe b/06/califo rn ia-protests-trump-resistance-progressive-politics
California protests lead the way for Trump resistance movement
http://www.theblaze.com/n ews/2017/02/28/u niversity-a n ti-fascist-g roup-j ustifies-violence-and-van dal ism-again st-peers/
University 'anti-fascist' group justifies violence and vandalism against peers
The Blaze, by Brandon Morse, Feb. 28, 2017
https://www. wired. com/20 17/02/neo-nazis-face-n ew-foe-onIi ne-irl-fa r-left-antifa/
Neo-Nazis face a new foe online and IRL: The far-left antifa
Wired, by Emma Grey Ellis, Feb. 4, 2017
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/mar/1/liberal-left-employs-violence-to-accomplish-goals/
When radicals descend into violence
Washington Times, by Shawn Steel, March 1, 2017
https://www.lifezette.com/polizette/anti-trump-violence-intimidation-becoming-common/
Anti-Trump Violence, Intimidation Becoming Common
Lifezette, by Edmund Kozak, March 27, 2017
http://fusion. neUthese-students-protested-a-neo-nazi-who-came-to-campus-1793864150
These students protested a neo-Nazi who came to campus- and were met with huge police pushback
Fusion.net, by Rafi Schwartz, Dec. 7, 2016
http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2017/04/violence_arrests_already_as_ri.html
Violence, arrests at Auburn before Richard Spencer speech advocating white supremacy
AL.com , by Connor Sheets, April 18, 2017

'-",BJA
·v .w,u.

-:,:Jwn+<• "'" " '"..

This project was supported by Grant #2015-RS-CX-0005 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice
Assistance is a component of the Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics,
the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the SMART
Office. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies
of the U.S. Department of Justice.

17

Dissemination Restricted to Law Enforcement
2018-IALI-00007-000224