New Designations Target Groups in Germany, Italy, and Greece

The United States government has officially designated four European anti-fascist (antifa) groups as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), according to a State Department announcement on Thursday, November 13, 2025. The organizations named are Antifa Ost in Germany, the Italy-based International Revolutionary Front, and two Greek organizations, Armed Proletarian Justice and Revolutionary Class Self Defense. The statement, issued by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, declared the groups as "Specially Designated Global Terrorists" conspiring to undermine Western civilization. This action legally empowers U.S. law enforcement to utilize more aggressive surveillance and financial oversight tools against the groups and their supporters, including U.S. citizens.

Context of the Decision

The move is a direct follow-through on the Trump administration's intensified focus on leftist movements, which it has blamed for violent confrontations in several U.S. cities. The administration cited incidents involving homemade explosives, shootings, and hammer attacks as justification for the listings. This decision follows the September 2025 assassination of conservative organizer Charlie Kirk, an event that amplified the administration's rhetoric against leftist organizations. A prior executive action had already labeled "antifa" a domestic terrorist organization.

In a statement, Secretary Rubio asserted that groups affiliated with the antifa movement subscribe to "revolutionary anarchist or Marxist ideologies, including anti-Americanism, 'anti-capitalism' and anti-Christianity, using these to incite and justify violent assaults domestically and overseas." The designation makes it a criminal act in the United States to provide material support or resources to these organizations.

Profiles of the Designated Groups

The targeted organizations have varied histories of militant activity in their home countries:

• Antifa Ost (Germany): Also known as Hammerbande, this group is accused of numerous attacks against individuals perceived as right-wing extremists in Germany and Hungary between 2018 and 2023. Hungary had previously added the group to its own national anti-terrorism list in September 2025.
• International Revolutionary Front (Italy): Also known as the Informal Anarchist Federation (FAI/FRI), this group has operated since 2003 and claimed responsibility for bomb threats and attacks against political and economic institutions.
• Armed Proletarian Justice (Greece): A newer anarchist group that emerged in late 2023, it has claimed responsibility for planting an explosive device near the headquarters of Greek riot police.
• Revolutionary Class Self Defense (Greece): This group has claimed responsibility for IED attacks against the Greek Ministry of Labor and the national railway offices in 2024 and 2025, citing opposition to "capitalist structures" and solidarity with Palestine.

Implications for Kenya and East Africa

While the designated groups have no known direct operational links to Kenya, the U.S. decision has broader implications for the region. The expansion of the FTO list to include ideologically motivated groups, rather than exclusively religious or secessionist ones, sets a new precedent. Kenya has a long-standing and critical counter-terrorism partnership with the United States, including a Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) established in Nairobi to investigate terror threats, primarily from groups like al-Shabaab. This partnership relies on shared definitions and priorities in combating terrorism. The U.S. move to classify these European political groups as terrorist organizations could influence future bilateral security agreements and the scope of counter-terrorism cooperation. It highlights the importance for Kenyan authorities to monitor evolving U.S. foreign policy and its potential impact on how terrorism is defined and prosecuted internationally.

Debate and Criticism

National security experts have previously raised concerns about designating "antifa" as a singular terrorist organization, noting its decentralized nature without a clear leadership or membership structure. Critics argue that such designations risk conflating anti-fascist activism with violent extremism. Mary Bossis, an emeritus professor of international security at Piraeus University, stated it was "plain wrong" and "highly exaggerated" to say the antifa movement in Greece employs terror tactics, noting that they participate in elections. The designations, which take full effect on November 20, 2025, are part of a broader U.S. strategy under President Trump to confront what his administration terms a global campaign of political violence.