Trump designates Antifa a 'terrorist organization' after blaming members for violent protests across America following death of George Floyd

President Donald Trump declared Sunday afternoon that the anti-fascist left-wing movement known as ANTIFA will be designated as a terrorist group. 

'The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization,' the president tweeted. 

On Saturday Trump blamed ANTIFA for violent nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd, after Minnesota Governor Tim Walz suggested that foreign influences, white supremacists and drug cartels are fueling chaos.

'It's ANTIFA and the Radical Left. Don't lay the blame on others!' Trump said in a tweet on Saturday, referring to the militant far-left movement, short for 'anti-fascism', that is known for violence.

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President Donald Trump has declared that the anti-fascist protest movement known as antifa will be designated as a terrorist group

'The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization,' the president tweeted Sunday afternoon

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On Saturday Trump blamed antifa for violent nationwide protests (burning police car in Miami) over the death of George Floyd, after Minnesota Gov Tim Walz suggested that foreign influences, white supremacists and drug cartels are fueling chaos

Widespread looting, arson and violence continued in Minneapolis and multiple other major cities across the U.S. on Saturday, leaving three dead and dozens more injured. It was the third day of such demonstrations. 

Echoing the president, Attorney General Bill Barr said on Saturday that 'the voices of peaceful protest are being hijacked by radical elements'.

'Groups of outside radicals and agitators are exploiting the situation to pursue their own separate and violent agenda,' Barr said in an on-camera statement. 

'In many places it appears the violence is planned, organized and driven by anarchic and far-left extremist groups using antifa-like tactics.' 

'It is a federal crime to cross state lines or use interstate facilities to incite or participate in violent rioting and we will enforce those laws,' he added, saying that the FBI, US Marshals, DEA, ATF and US Attorney's Offices would fully support local and state law enforcement in restoring order and cracking down on violence. 

Earlier on Saturday, Gov Walz suggested domestic terrorists or foreign influences might be subverting peaceful protests and turning them to violence.

Walz said the riots in Minneapolis had begun to resemble a 'military operation' and that he was actively weighing whether to accept military and intelligence assistance from The Pentagon. 

'Last night is a mockery of pretending that this is about George Floyd's death, or inequities, or historical traumas to our communities of color,' said Walz, a Democrat.

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'It's ANTIFA and the Radical Left. Don't lay the blame on others!' Trump said in a tweet on Saturday, referring to the militant far-left movement, short for 'anti-fascist', that is known for violence. Protesters are seen in Washington, DC, on Saturday 

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Protesters march through the streets of Detroit, Michigan, on Saturday night 

'The situation in Minneapolis is no longer in any way about the murder of George Floyd, it is about attacking civil society, instilling fear, and disrupting our great cities,' Walz said.

'As you saw this expand across the United States, and you start to see whether it be domestic terrorism, whether it be ideological extremists to fan the group, or whether it be international destabilization of how our country works,' he continued.

On Friday night, Walz hinted that white supremacists and drug cartels may be fueling violence or taking advantage of the chaos in the rioting. 

Pressed by reporters on rumors that white supremacists were secretly infiltrating Black Lives Matter protests and instigating violence, Walz said: 'My suspicions and what I've seen on this, yes.'

'It gets worse than that,' Walz said. 'The cartels, who are wondering if there was a break in their drug transmissions, are trying to take advantage of the chaos. That's why this situation is on a federal level.'