This Vandalism Gives the Lie to Antifa's Anti-Fascist Claims

During the past two weeks, as protests over the horrific police killing of George Floyd devolved into looting, vandalism, and arson across America, destroying black lives, black livelihoods, and black monuments, many have defended the antifa instigators likely behind the violence. After all, antifa is just short for “anti-fascist,” right? How DARE you oppose the leftist militants who are supposedly carrying the banner of the men who stormed the beaches on Normandy?! Well, over the weekend, the protesters targeted the original anti-fascist, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

In fact, protesters vandalized the London statue of Winston Churchill on June 6, the anniversary of the D-Day landings at Normandy.

“Sure, he was the [original] anti-fascist. He defeated Hitler & the Nazis. And he saved the free world. But you’re an angry, woke Lefty protestor (probably with a trust fund)—and you have a can of spray paint—so your contributions to humanity & equality are about the same,” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) tweeted, bitterly. Cruz also shared a video

Sure, he was the orginal anti-fascist. He defeated Hitler & the Nazis. And he saved the free world.

But you’re an angry, woke Lefty protestor (probably with a trust fund)—and you have a can of spray paint—so your contributions to humanity & equality are about the same. https://t.co/gWyF747ONG

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) June 7, 2020

Vandals sprayed graffiti on Churchill’s statue in Parliament Square, saying the late prime minister “was a racist,” Britain’s The Independent reported.

Vandals spray-painted that message on the statue on Sunday. Viral footage shows a small crowd of protesters chanting, “Churchill was a racist” and current Prime Minister “Boris [Johnson] is a racist!”

Protesters had previously placed banners with messages such as “British Colonialism is to Blame” and “What if it was your son?” at the base of the column on which Churchill stands. Vandals also strapped a Black Lives Matter sign to Churchill’s belly.

On the D-Day anniversary on Saturday, vandals also spray-painted the statue with the letters “ACAB” in green neon paint. The message reportedly stands for “All Cops are B**tards.”

The London Anti-Fascist Assembly appears to have taken credit for the vandalism.

#LondonAntifascistAssembly taking credit and encouraging criminal damage to #WinstonChurchill statue on @Facebook. A criminal act being organised and actively promoted on Facebook!

Report their page #AntifaTerrorists #DomesticTerrorists #Antifa pic.twitter.com/2LOAJpgJWB

— 🛡 Jason SnapsBack 🛡 (@Jasonsnapsback) June 8, 2020

Churchill did indeed harbor some nasty views about non-whites, but that does not tie him to the heinous police killing of George Floyd or make his victory over Adolf Hitler and the Nazis any less impressive. Winston Churchill long warned about the nefarious threat of Hitler, even when most of Europe did not consider Hitler’s territorial ambitions to be a threat. Churchill’s clear warnings against the Nazis and his bold leadership through England’s toughest hours during the Blitz make him a giant of world history and a figure to be celebrated, regardless of his racial biases.

If the vandals even target Winston Churchill, they have gone very far off the deep end, indeed. Any antifa instigator who cheers on this violence has lost any credibility to the “anti-fascist” label.

One brave man removed some of the hateful attacks on Churchill from the plinth and ripped aside posters condemning the original anti-fascist. As Jack Dawkins tweeted, that man is a “hero.”