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This week a San Diego County grand jury indicted eleven members of a local Antifa group on 29 felony charges, including “conspiracy to commit a riot, use of tear gas, assault with a deadly weapon, and assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury.”
The first of its kind effort to target and break up Antifa cells was brought forward by San Diego District Attorney Summer Stephan. Stephan had announced the charges in December, and yesterday’s arraignment was a follow-through on her months of investigation.
Carl DeMaio, chairman of Reform California, one of the largest grassroots organizations in the state, praised the indictments and said that the case is a "landmark" that Democrats and the media are trying to bury because it refutes their false narrative they want to drive about the January 6, 2021 incursions at the Capitol.
The Antifa case alleges that the Antifa group conspired to and carried out attacks against Republicans who organized an event in Pacific Beach in January 2021. The Antifa group allegedly wore black clothing with protective gear and carried weapons, which they used to injure pedestrians and police officers. There were at least 16 known victims, one of which was a minor who suffered a concussion.
According to a press release by Stephan, “The overt acts listed in the indictment detail the level of violence and planning committed by the defendants, including: Throwing a wooden lawn chair at a victim and striking her … Striking a victim with a baseball bat … Striking a victim with a flagpole … Attacking victims with tear gas … Assaulting a victim with a stun gun…”
The criminal complaint stated that "Antifa is known to use force, fear, and violence to further their own interests and to suppress the interests of others. This tactic is referred to as ‘Direct Action’ and is known to mean acts of violence such as assault, battery, assault with deadly weapons, arson, and vandalism."
“For years, Democrats and the media have tried to claim that Antifa is just 'an idea,' but that 'idea' is really an organized leftist group that violently attacked those they thought were supporters of President Trump,” DeMaio said.
As DeMaio references, President Biden famously remarked in 2020 that Antifa is just “an idea.” But DeMaio says Stephan’s case proves otherwise.
"I applaud District Attorney Stephan for pursuing justice and proving that Antifa actually is an organized, violent, leftist threat to the public — something Democrats are desperate to distract from with their January 6th Republican persecution hearings that have turned up nothing," he continued.
DeMaio points to recent news coverage and the focus of the Democrat majority in Congress — the January 6th Committee hearings — as proof of a double standard and an attempt to cover up left-wing violence.
A quick search returns over 15 national stories this week related to the January 6th Committee hearings, but a measly 2 stories from local San Diego coverage on the Antifa indictment. No national stories were filed.
President Biden and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi have offered little commentary on Antifa since last year, and have not commented on the Antifa case brought by Stephan.
“When and where are we going to see Pelosi and Biden acknowledge the violent insurrectionists they have on their own side — ones we have plenty of evidence against to indict?” asked Demaio.
DeMaio says that he hopes the media and Democrats can stop their partisan witch hunt and come to the table for a true conversation on violence and domestic terrorism, but he isn’t holding his breath.
Instead DeMaio is supporting “principled pro-law enforcement” candidates for office to stop the crime wave happening in California.
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