Democracy Now! Audio Democracy Now! 2025-10-15 Wednesday
Oct 15, 2025
Mark Bray, a historian from Rutgers University, shares his harrowing experiences with death threats after Trump's anti-Antifa executive order. He explains the decentralized nature of anti-fascism and emphasizes the importance of unifying against far-right movements. Joel Bainin, a Stanford scholar, discusses the recent Sharm el-Sheikh ceasefire and the complexities surrounding hostage exchanges, while recounting his family's emotional ordeal with a relative taken in Gaza. Their insights illuminate pressing issues of political activism and humanitarian crises.
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Antifa Is A Movement, Not An Organization
- Mark Bray explains Antifa is a decentralized political movement, not a formal organization.
- Trump’s labeling weaponizes the term to equate protest with terrorism and suppress dissent.
Flight Cancelled, Family Fleeing To Spain
- Mark Bray recounts death threats and having his home address published after the executive order.
- His family's flight was canceled and he was later searched and interrogated by federal agents before leaving for Spain.
Labeling Enables Lawless Repression
- Bray warns equating protesters with terrorists enables extrajudicial violence and erosion of due process.
- He links such tactics to historical patterns of authoritarianism and warns of domestic danger.
