Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison recently appeared on MSNBC, where he characterized Antifa as merely an “amorphous” concept lacking any genuine institutional framework, despite his own prior expressions of support for the group.
Ellison’s statements arise amidst increasing scrutiny over his past engagements with the far-left movement, including a notorious Tweet from 2018 in which he proudly showcased himself with a copy of “Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook,” authored by Rutgers professor Mark Bray, who has since left the country.
During the MSNBC segment, Ellison contended, “If there really is no institutional Antifa, then anyone linked to Antifa-like sentiments can be persecuted… The reality is that even the definition of what it is remains elusive.” In a twist of irony, Ellison asserted that the first time he learned about the term “Antifa” was when it was mentioned by Trump during the Charlottesville incident, labeling the group a vague notion potentially utilized to stifle speech, mobilize military action, or suppress dissent.
However, those on the right, alongside other rational thinkers, highlight that Antifa displays clear features of an organized body: flags, uniforms, local chapters, meeting locations, email subscriptions, and directives for members—elements that starkly contradict Ellison’s dismissal of it as an abstract idea.
Minnesota AG Keith Ellison claims that Antifa is NOT a formal organization.
Antifa possesses a flag, uniforms, designated colors, local groups, meeting hubs, email lists, and guidance for its members.
Keith Ellison is misrepresenting the facts.
— Ian Jaeger (@IanJaeger29) October 11, 2025
Ellison’s attempt to downplay the reality of Antifa is particularly ironic given his personal history.
For instance, his son, Jeremiah Ellison, a member of the Minneapolis City Council, openly expressed his support for Antifa during the George Floyd protests in 2020 by declaring on social media, “I hereby declare, officially, my support for ANTIFA.”
In January 2018, while serving as deputy chair of the Democratic National Committee, Ellison shared a photo on social media of himself beaming while clutching Bray’s handbook, captioned: “At @MoonPalaceBooks, and I just found the book that strikes fear in the heart of @realDonaldTrump.”
Bray’s book explicitly advocates for militant “anti-fascism,” endorsing the use of violence. He even pledged half of the book’s proceeds to the International Anti-Fascist Defense Fund, aimed at assisting those facing legal or medical challenges resulting from anti-fascism or anti-racism actions.
This post instantly attracted backlash from conservatives, who accused Ellison of backing a group notorious for employing violent methods against alleged political adversaries, including riots, assaults, and vandalism.
In the wake of Donald Trump’s executive order labeling Antifa a domestic terrorist organization due to its role in political violence and attempts to curtail free speech, Bray became the target of a petition driven by Turning Point USA at Rutgers, calling for his dismissal from the university.
The petition accuses Bray of being an “Antifa financier” and a “publicly known Antifa member,” asserting that his presence poses a threat to students and encourages terrorist behavior.
The organization, founded by Charlie Kirk, who was killed last month at a campus event, stated in the petition:
“Given the current trend of left-wing terrorism, having a prominent figure in the Antifa movement on campus jeopardizes conservative students’ safety. Dr. Bray has frequently denounced mainstream conservative voices like Bill O’Reilly as fascist while he advocates for militant actions against such figures. This rhetoric culminated in the assassination of Charlie Kirk last month.”
Bray reported that the backlash had escalated to the point where he received death threats, prompting his decision to relocate to Spain.
