Rep. Vernon Jones, a Georgia lawmaker who is a Democrat who supports the re-election of President Trump tweeted Saturday:
I refuse to allow a bunch of ANTIFA affiliated thugs to come to my beloved city of Atlanta and burn it to the ground, under the guise of #BlackLivesMatter
They don’t give a damn about black lives. They only care about DESTRUCTION.
I refuse to allow a bunch of ANTIFA affiliated thugs to come to my beloved city of Atlanta and burn it to the ground, under the guise of #BlackLivesMatter.
They don’t give a damn about black lives. They only care about DESTRUCTION.
— Vernon Jones (@RepVernonJones) May 30, 2020
Jones released a video Friday and wrote:
What happened to #GeorgeFloyd was absolutely unconsiouabke and clear cut example of injustice.
But what is now happening on the streets of Minneapolis is not only unproductive, but a threat to the legacy and memory of George Floyd.
What happened to #GeorgeFloyd was absolutely unconsiouabke and clear cut example of injustice.
But what is now happening on the streets of Minneapolis is not only unproductive, but a threat to the legacy and memory of George Floyd. pic.twitter.com/vGNTJ3vVLj
— Vernon Jones (@RepVernonJones) May 29, 2020
UPDATE: President Trump tweeted Sunday morning:
The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization.
The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2020
Per WashingtonExaminer, one day prior, Attorney General William Barr said it appears that “many places” across the country were seeing violent protests spurred by “anarchic” and “far-left extremist groups.” He added that agitators were using “antifa-like tactics” and that many of them were traveling from out of state to participate in the protests.
Andy Ngo, a reporter who was a victim himself of a brutal Antifa attack has been leading the charge in exposing the violent tactics of the group.
Masked militants ransacking the Justice Center in downtown Portland. Many came prepared with chemicals to start fires and weapons to break windows. #antifa #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/jkJCu3bc2n
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) May 30, 2020