Who is involved in these events and what are they for? Most of these events originated as a demonstration by groups that either support or oppose President Trump and his policies. But what has happened recently is that at many of these demonstration events, opposing groups are clashing, resulting in violence.
The groups involved are many, and some of the people involved are only loosely associated with these groups. As these violent events are political in nature (what isn't?) the groups can be roughly divided along the single axis spectrum of "right" vs left".
First I'll talk about the groups on the "left".
One major group on the left is called "AntiFa", short for anti-fascist. AntiFa claims to be anti-fascist, but the purpose of their existence, according to them, is the violent suppression of "Nazi" speech and action. Their definition of what is a "Nazi" seems to be FAR reaching, to include anyone with a conservative point of view. If you are for secured borders, they consider you to be a Nazi. If you are against affirmative action, you're a Nazi. If you're proud of being white, you're a Nazi. If you give them any reason to call you a racist, and that doesn't take much, you're a Nazi. If you voted for Trump, or any republican anywhere ever, you guessed it, you're a Nazi. AntiFa is an inherently anti-First Amendment group. They are the muscle that will show up to a peaceful protest and turn it violent in order to get it shut down. They've been heard chanting "punch a Nazi in the face" and have been seen with signs that say "no first amendment rights for Nazis". They never show up unarmed. Their signature weapons are sticks/batons and pepper spray, but some of their members have been seen weilding large bicycle locks, skateboards, stones and various pyrotechnic weapons, including the explosive M80. AntiFa members dress in all black, to include black bandanas or masks to hide their identity, and group together enmasse in a tactic referred to as the "black bloc". AntiFa has engaged in violence against groups on the right at nearly every event AntiFa members have attended.
AntiFa is supported by a group called "BAMN", short for "by any means necessary", which is actually even shorter for the official group name, "The Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, Integration and Immigrant Rights and Fight for Equality By Any Means Necessary". BAMN is much easier to say. All of the participants of AntiFa are also participants of BAMN, but the reverse is not necessarily true. Think of it this way: AntiFa is mostly made of college kids who only barely understand what they're doing or why. Most AntiFa kids don't actually know what real fascism is or that they are the true fascists. BAMN provides leadership and direction for those clueless AntiFa kids. AntiFa kids, like this girl nicknamed "Moldylocks", need direction from leaders like Yvette Felarca. BAMN provides that direction, as well as funding and oftentimes, bus transportation to events. BAMN members have either engaged in violence or incited AntiFa members to conduct violence in every event that BAMN members have attended.
Associated with BAMN is the National Lawyers Guild. They provide cheap/free legal assistance for members of AntiFa and BAMN. The NLG is founded and funded by none other than globalist billionaire George Soros. Fun fact: The NLG also provides legal assistance for Black Lives Matter and their many similar shadow groups.
Now for the groups on the "right".first let me start by saying that the majority of the people who show up to oppose AntiFa are not really firm members of any group at all. They simply seem to be there because they're participating in a rally or demonstration, or are attending a speaking event, like the one held by right wing personality, Milo Yiannopolous. So, onto the identifiable groups.
It seems that at least one event was attended by members of the "Oathkeepers" (OK). OK is an organization of military veterans and and police officers who have pledged to disobey all orders that violate the US Constitution. I know for a fact that OK members have been to at least two events in New Orleans, but some reports are saying that they attempted only to keep peace and did not engage in violence. Members of OK can be paying members, or can be loosely affiliated. As far as I've heard, the OK members who attended these two events were in a sort of minor leadership role, directing right wing participants to locations where the demonstrations, for example. As far as I've leaned, OK members have not engaged in violence against AntiFa.
A group involved in at least the events in Pikeville is the Traditionalist Worker's Party (TWP). The TWP seems to be a white nationalist political organization. The mainstream media has portrayed this group as having neo-Nazi political leanings, but please understand that white nationalism is not synonymous with white supremacy, nor is it inherently neo-Nazi in nature. The group claims that they do not wish harm on any race, nor do they hate any race. As far as I've learned, the TWP has not engaged in any violence against AntiFa or BAMN.
The League of the South (LS) is another right wing group that was seen at the Pikeville and New Orleans events. LS is best described as being anti-Marxist, anti-political correctness, pro-Christian, pro-free market, pro-2nd Amendment, anti-income tax, Southern separatist organization. The groups favors tight immigration laws, which is the most likely catalyst for LS coming into conflict with AntiFa. It's unclear if any members of LS have engaged in any violence against AntiFa.
As far as other groups on the right, I am unaware of any major players. As I stated above, the vast majority of people showing up to actively oppose AntiFa are not firm members of any groups. The members of the right wing groups I've listed have shown up generally unarmed. Some of the non-affiliated participants have started showing up with weapons, such as sticks and pepper spray. One participant, nicknamed "Based Stickman", has emerged as a defactox leader after he was recorded defending his comrades with a long stick and shield from attacks by AntiFa members at UC Berekely.
Obviously the police in these areas are involved in the events taking place, but so far have mostly been impotent and useless. It appears that only at Pikeville were they effective in preventing any violence. However, I'd almost prefer they stayed out of it all. They'd probably end up arresting and charging the wrong people anyway. We know for sure that the Berkeley PD were given stand-down orders, which resulted in numerous fires and massive destruction on campus at the hands of AntiFa. I was in New Orleans on the ground near one of the events myself and the rumor passing around the streets of the French Quarter was that police had received stand-down orders and were advising people in the area to arm themselves and get indoors.
It seems all of the major violent engagements have resulted in AntiFa being chased from the AO, many of them injured. It also seems that AntiFa has initiated violence in all of these engagements, which is not surprising, since that's their stated purpose for existing as a group.
AntiFa does not currently appear to be skilled in any sort of hand to hand combat, and it's severely hindered their ability to have the effect they're going for. With that said, reports have surfaced of AntiFa members seeking out and organizing training sessions. Additionally, it has been reported that AntiFa members have taken up firearms and are training (albeit for now, poorly) to use them.
Now for my thoughts: AntiFa and BAMN are inherently anti-First Amendment and are supported by George Soros and others like him. They have threatened violence against anyone who opposes them and have shown themselves willing to travel and fight in large cities, small towns and college campuses. I can not rule out that they are supported by various US government elements. They certainly are supported by faculty members of various American universities that receive federal monies, and those universities are doing nothing about it. The mayor of Berkeley apparently has his own ties to BAMN.
I firmly believe that AntiFa and BAMN must be opposed wherever they appear, in person and with defensive violence if necessary. They are backed by foreign interests at least (Soros), and are inherently opposed to the basic Liberty of free speech, and are using violence to deprive traditionalist Americans of that right through intimidation.
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