Republican Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Study Antifa Involvement in Riots

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  • 03/02/2023

Rep. Don Bacon, along with Reps. Rodney Davis, Tony Gonzalez, David Joyce, Nancy Mace, Maria Elvira Salazar and Van Taylor, introduced a bill Thursday to investigate Antifa’s involvement in the explosive riots that took the nation by storm in 2020.

Specifically, the legislation would establish the National Commission on Domestic Terrorist Attacks on the United States, an independent bipartisan commission structured similarly to the 9/11 commission. 

“While the majority of participants in demonstrations across the country in 2020 were peaceful, the events themselves became destructive due to organized pushes for violence by Antifa,” Bacon said. “Many cities were burned, and businesses destroyed. Retired police officer David Dorn was shot and killed while protecting a business. People were harassed while simply eating at outside restaurants, and Americans across the nation feared for their lives. We’re still seeing violence in Portland in recent weeks. Just as with the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, we must learn the truth about who is behind the violence and who is pushing the narrative to try and weaken our country and scare people into submission.” 

“Last year, I watched in horror as the violence and destruction wrought by Antifa drowned out the voices of Americans who were exercising their Constitutional right to peacefully protest and petition their government for change,” Joyce said. “Destruction of property is unacceptable no matter if it’s a small business, a place of worship, or the United States Capitol. Violence is unacceptable no matter the political affiliation of who commits it. I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bill and urge the Speaker to allow the House to vote on it. 

“Last year, organized cells of criminals hijacked overwhelmingly peaceful protests and used the legitimate grievances of others as cover to commit horrific acts of violence,” Mace said. “They caused billions of dollars in property damage and attacked law enforcement officers and innocent bystanders in cities across the country...Antifa bands represent the same threat to our nation posed by other terrorist groups. We must do all we can to understand and neutralize the dangerous movement before more are harmed.” 

“The violence and extremism that destroyed cities, businesses, and livelihoods across the United States last summer is unacceptable,” Salazar said. “In America, we resolve our differences at the ballot box, through dialogue and peaceful protest. We need greater transparency to help authorities address the direct threats that violent extremist groups like Antifa pose to our democracy.” 

“When I served overseas in Iraq,” Van Taylor said, “I witnessed the frightening dangers and lawlessness anarchy brings. Such turmoil has no place in modern society and certainly not in America. Antifa’s propensity to inflict violence and harm the innocent runs in direct opposition to our strongly held American values. As lawmakers, we have a duty to hold those who commit crimes accountable and I’m proud to support legislation to investigate Antifa’s involvement in riots across the nation.” 

Human Events’ newest addition, Senior News Editor Jack Posobiec, recently released a new book on the domestic terrorist group. The Antifa: Stories from Inside the Black Bloc gives the American public a behind-the-scenes look into what is truly happening within the organization. 

To buy the book and find out more, click here. 

Image: by is licensed under
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