At least one man has been charged after a group of United States Marine Corps reservists in Philadelphia were maced, assaulted, and called “Nazis” and “white supremacists” by a group of Antifa members earlier this month. Antifa is a far-left, violent activist group which purports to be “anti-fascist.”
Last week, Tom Keenan, a 33-year-old man believed to be a member of the Antifa movement in Philadelphia, turned himself over to police in connection with the attack.
“On Saturday, November 15, 2018, at approximately 3:20 pm, the complainants, who are United States Military Reservists, were on the 100 block of S. Front Street, when they were approached by numerous males and females,” said the Philadelphia Police Department. “The group of suspects called the complainants ‘Nazis’, and ‘White Supremacists’. The suspects then maced the complainants, and then proceeded to punch and kick them. During the assault, one of the complainant’s had his cell phone stolen from him by one of the male suspects.”
The Marines were attacked down the road from a “We the People” rally, though it’s unclear if they were associated with the rally at all.
According to Philadelphia Magazine, Kennan has been charged with two counts of criminal conspiracy, two counts of aggravated assault, two counts of terroristic threats, two counts of simple assault, and two counts of reckless endangerment.
“In 2007, Keenan was arrested as one of the so-called ‘Love Park 4’ after an incident involving a purported Ku Klux Klan rally in the well-known park near City Hall,” reports the magazine. “He was charged with criminal conspiracy, institutional vandalism, resisting arrest, and criminal mischief, among other offenses, and eventually made a plea deal, pleading guilty to one summary offense of disorderly conduct, while all other charges were withdrawn.”
The Antifa member has since been released on bail and is expected back at court for a preliminary hearing on December 6.
The Philadelphia Police Department is reportedly still investigating the case and looking into other suspects.
Earlier in the month, Antifa members in Portland exhibited violent behavior against demonstrators at a #HimToo protest. Six people ended up getting arrested, including a 19-year-old Antifa member named Heather McClintock who was captured on video harassing, assaulting, and spitting on demonstrators. She was charged with harassment.
A reporter covering the #HimToo demonstration, Quillette Magazine editor Andy C. Ngo, was verbally berated and physically accosted by far-left activists.
“I was assaulted by a mob of masked individuals in black. They also targeted my equipment. They called me a fascist & Islamophobe. They said my parents & grandparents would be ashamed of me,” said Ngo via Twitter. “It feels surreal to be treated this way by people who don’t even know me.”
On November 7, Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s Washington, D.C. home was reportedly targeted by a left-wing group called Smash Racism DC, which is also known as AntifaDC. A mob of 20 or so chanted that they will “fight” Carlson, demanded he leave town, vandalized his property, and doxxed him, his brother, and business partner.