Key Takeaways
- Rutgers professor Mark Bray relocated to Spain due to death threats.
- Threats intensified after Trump's "Antifa" declaration targeted Bray's book.
- Bray's book explains historical anti-fascist tactics, including defensive violence.
- He describes the targeting as "manufactured outrage" and a "new red scare."
- Bray observes a historical pattern of right-wing backlash to leftist progress.
Deep Dive
- Rutgers professor Mark Bray moved to Spain in October following death threats and doxxing.
- Threats emerged after President Trump declared "Antifa" a terrorist organization.
- Bray, author of "Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook," denies Antifa membership, seeing the situation as a manufactured emergency.
- Mark Bray's 2017 book, "Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook," explores historical anti-fascist movements.
- The book details the perspective that violence can be a necessary tool for self-defense against fascism.
- Anti-fascist actors prefer non-violent methods but consider violence when facing fascism.
- Bray defended self-defense against white supremacist and neo-Nazi violence in response to Charlottesville events.
- His statements drew mixed reactions, including denouncement from Dartmouth College's president, later reversed due to faculty support from over 100 members.
- He received death threats and an FBI visit, with a bomb scare involving a book at Dartmouth.
- Bray describes this period as "manufactured outrage" and a "crazy time" before attention subsided.
- Mark Bray faced renewed attention following Charlie Kirk's death and two Trump administration executive orders targeting Antifa.
- He clarified he is not an official Antifa spokesperson despite media inquiries and student interest in his book, 'Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook.'
- The increased scrutiny marked a second period of public focus on his work since 2017.
- Following doxxing and continued threats, Mark Bray and his wife, also a Rutgers professor, decided to leave the U.S. for Spain.
- Their decision was influenced by escalating paranoia and anxiety after a canceled flight and subsequent interrogation by federal agents.
- A family reservation was inexplicably canceled a day before their flight, contributing to feelings of being targeted.
- The family had previously experienced a positive year-long research trip in Spain.
- Bray likens the current situation to a "new red scare," noting it is his second time facing intense scrutiny since 2017.
- This instance differs from 2017 as it involved leaving his home and impacted his children, who exhibited distress including nightmares.
- Despite no significant anti-fascist conflicts in recent years, the renewed focus on his work felt like a "grenade" thrown into his life.