White House Petition To Name Antifa A Terrorist Group Soars To 270,000 Signatures

It’s been exactly seven days since someone posted a petition on the White House website asking that President Trump’s administration label the Antifa group a terrorist organization.

In that week, the petition has collected more than 270,000 signatures.

The petition states this:

Terrorism is defined as “the use of violence and intimidation in pursuit of political aims”. This definition is the same definition used to declare ISIS and other groups, as terrorist organizations. AntiFa has earned this title due to its violent actions in multiple cities and their influence in the killings of multiple police officers throughout the United States. It is time for the pentagon to be consistent in its actions – and just as they rightfully declared ISIS a terror group, they must declare AntiFa a terror group – on the grounds of principle, integrity, morality, and safety.

The process is three simple steps: Create a petition to “call on the White House to take action on the issue that matters to you”; Gather signatures “for the change you want to make”; and if you collect 100,000 signatures in 30 days, you get “an official update from the White House within 60 days.”

So, with more than double the signatures needed, will the petition creator get an update in 30 days?

The petition was created on August 17 after the radical, left-wing organization caused violence in Charlottesville, VA, leading to numerous injuries. While President Trump has not named the group outright, he has called out violent “alt-left” protesters.

“What about the alt-left that came charging at, as you say, at the alt-right? Do they have any semblance of guilt?” Trump said to reporters Tuesday. “What about the fact that they came charging with clubs in their hands, swinging clubs? Do they have any problem? I think they do. That was a horrible, horrible day.”

The petition process was created by former President Barack Obama’s administration in an attempt to give ordinary Americans a chance to be heard. But the Trump administrations has ignored other petitions that have topped the 100,000-signature bar, including one titled “Immediately release Donald Trump’s full tax returns, with all information needed to verify emoluments clause compliance” — which has more than 1 million signatures.

Another petition — “Pardon Former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio” — has just more than 3,500 signatures, but Trump appears ready to move swiftly on that call.