CNN’s Don Lemon appeared to defend the violent group Antifa on Tuesday for “fighting” racists and fascists, arguing that “no organization is perfect.”
“It says it right in the name: Antifa. Anti-fascism, which is what they were there [in Charlottesville] fighting," Lemon said on the Tuesday broadcast of his show.
"Listen, no organization's perfect. There was some violence. No one condones violence, but there were different reasons for Antifa and for these neo-Nazis to be there. One, racists, fascists, the other group, fighting racist fascists. There is a distinction there," he added.
Antifa’s violence has been widespread. To name just a few examples, the black-clad anarchists assaulted at least five people taking part in a peaceful Berkeley protest last year; they started bloody fights in the streets of Oregon during a Patriot Prayer rally in June; 16 were arrested after clashing with police during a Blue Lives Matter march earlier this month; and violence broke out in Charlottesville, Virginia at a second Unite the Right rally this month.
Clip is from live chopper feed by @kcranews in #Berkeley. No cops seen, this is #Antifa. https://t.co/vQHUculNTX pic.twitter.com/AJvowKzbev
— Nick Short (@PoliticalShort) August 27, 2017
Multiple arrested as Antifa, police clash at Philadelphia "Blue Lives Matter" march https://t.co/iLldvOvnKU pic.twitter.com/geLVurzeuf
— The Hill (@thehill) August 25, 2018
Here’s a bit more off my phone from last night Antifa march. ((Language alert here)). #Charlottesville police deserve a lot credit for keeping it under relative control. pic.twitter.com/E4Qn7rSnAf
— Cal Perry (@CalNBC) August 12, 2018
“Fu** you, snitch ass news bitch. Fu** you”. #Charlotsville pic.twitter.com/JPl3480FUG
— Cal Perry (@CalNBC) August 12, 2018
Lemon’s comments came after President Trump reportedly told evangelical leaders at the White House earlier this week that GOP losses in the upcoming midterm election could lead to the left “violently” overturning the gains his administration has made for the Christian community.
If Democrats take control of the House, Trump warned, "they will overturn everything that we've done and they'll do it quickly and violently, and violently. There's violence. When you look at Antifa and you look at some of these groups — these are violent people."
