The Take Another Take: How Antifa hysteria took over the US
Sep 20, 2025
Natasha Leonard, a columnist at The Intercept and author of "Being Numerous," dives into the intricacies of Antifa as an anti-fascist movement. She explores its historical roots and decentralized tactics, emphasizing the difference between perception and reality. The conversation highlights key events that shaped public opinion, particularly in the 2020 protests, where anti-racist movements were mischaracterized as Antifa-driven. Leonard sheds light on the implications of this narrative, particularly under Trump's campaign rhetoric, showcasing the complexities of modern anti-fascism.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Antifa As A Practice, Not An Organization
- Antifa is not a single organized group but a set of militant anti-fascist practices adopted by many actors.
- Natasha Leonard frames Antifa as an activity like birdwatching, not a centralized membership organization.
Targeted Confrontation, Not Random Chaos
- Antifa's confrontational tactics are targeted to disrupt far-right organizing rather than random chaos.
- Leonard describes much of the action as self-defense against explicitly fascist threats.
Far-Right Violence Outweighs Far-Left
- Far-right extremists have caused far more deadly violence than far-left actors in recent years.
- Leonard cites ADL data showing far-right killings vastly outnumber far-left killings over the past decade.
