US Justice Department accuses 15 Minnesota activists of ‘antifa’ activities

The administration of United States President Donald Trump has announced criminal charges against 15 Minnesota activists described as members of antifa, the loose-knit “anti-fascist” organisation.

At a news conference on Tuesday, US Attorney Daniel Rosen tied the charges to Trump’s directive last year to “counter domestic terrorism and organised political violence”.

“Political violence is a national scourge in our times,” Rosen said, before outlining the charges.

They include conspiracy to impede or injure federal officers, solicitation to commit violence, interstate threats, interstate stalking, assaulting federal officers and the destruction of government property.

Twelve of the 15 defendants, Rosen added, were taken into custody on Tuesday morning. Two remain at large, and a third had already been detained.

According to Rosen, they were all connected to the activist group Direct Action Minnesota, formerly known as Twin Cities Direct Action.

That group protested the hardline immigration crackdown that Trump authorised in Minnesota from December through February.

The crackdown, known as Operation Metro Surge , was widely criticised for excessive violence and legally dubious tactics, including a policy of not seeking judicial warrants before entering private homes.