Members of the Antifa movement have physically assaulted and beaten conservatives for nearly a decade, but apparently, it’s wrong to be angry about it. CNN anchor Erin Burnett stepped in it when she tried to downplay Antifa’s long history of violence on Wednesday.
Burnett played a clip of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem saying, “This network of Antifa is just as sophisticated as MS-13, as TDA, as ICIS, as Hezbollah, as Hamas, as all of them. They are just as dangerous.”
“That's pretty incredible, right?” Burnett quipped. “Hamas has just been engaged in a two-year war that we just announced the first stage of a peace plan to a few moments ago. And ISIS? These are incredible things to say.”
The anchor went on to state that she is “not going to sit here and defend anybody who considers themselves part of an Antifa movement such that it is” but noted that “Antifa is far from a major sophisticated terror organization like Hezbollah, Hamas, or ISIS.”
“In fact, it's not even like far-right groups like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, which have had national leaders unlike Antifa,” Burnett continued. “There is no organized hierarchy to the group. And according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, compared to right-wing extremists, Antifa linked violences extremists, Antifa-linked violence is rare and limited.”
Unbelievable!! CNN's Erin Burnett just parroted Antifa propaganda on air while managing to take swipes at "rightwing extremists":
— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) October 8, 2025
"Antifa is far from a major sophisticated terror organization like Hezbollah, Hamas, or ISIS. In fact it's not even like the far-right groups like… pic.twitter.com/uEPDCVKlRQ
What is ironic is that Burnett quotes the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) to make it appear that the right is more violent than the left. Yet, the same organization recently acknowledged that leftist violence has surpassed the right this year, according to Axios.
While it is true that Antifa is not as deadly as ISIS, Hamas, and other terrorist groups (yet), the notion that people should not be concerned about it makes no sense when you consider the acts Antifa adherents have carried out over the past decade.
In Portland, Oregon, Antifa-aligned thugs have not only been clashing with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, they have also bullied and assaulted city residents going about their everyday lives. Some residents told BBC that Antifa thugs have entered apartment buildings and confronted them in hallways and on the streets.
And some, who have gone outside at night, have been attacked or threatened, according to footage Ms Hammar filmed and showed to BBC News. Her footage showed gunshots being fired, and a resident being punched in the face by a protester.
Back in 2020, an Antifa operative shot and killed a right-wing activist in Portland. He was later killed by police who were trying to arrest him.
During the 2016 campaign season, there were always video clips circulating on social media showing black-clad Antifa thugs harassing and physically assaulting people at Trump rallies.
Antifa claims they are resorting to violence to stop the spread of fascism in America. Unfortunately, when one believes everyone to the right of Bernie Sanders is a fascist, this shows that “antifascism” isn’t the real goal here.