Ten Antifa members charged over violence at pro-Trump protest

San Diego public prosecutors filed charges on Monday against 10 self-described "anti-fascist" protestors who are alleged to have violently disrupted a pro-Trump rally at the beginning of the year.

A criminal complaint said the defendants “are self-identified to be affiliated with Anti-fascists or Antifa,” and began organizing a counterprotest amongst themselves a week before the “Patriot March” in Pacific Beach, California. Antifa showed up and became violent, using pepper spray, flag poles, and other objects to attack the pro-Trump crowd on Jan. 9.

"Video evidence analysis shows that overwhelmingly the violence in this incident was perpetrated by the Antifa affiliates and was not a mutual fray with both sides crossing out of lawful First Amendment expression into riot and violence," District Attorney Summer Stephan’s office said in a press release.

This case is one of the first to use conspiracy charges to target and prosecute members of Antifa, a “decentralized network of far-left militants who oppose what they believe are fascist, racist, or otherwise right-wing extremists.”

According to a criminal complaint, the conspiracy began when the defendants liked and shared a Jan. 2 social media post calling for a counterprotest against the pro-Trump rally, “in essence agreeing to take part in the ‘direct action,’” the movement’s term for physical confrontation.

Others tacitly agreed by showing up to the beach and participating in the ensuing violence.

Stephan’s office said it moved forward with the charges because evidence supported the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt and “the right to peaceful protest must be protected.”

The DA’s office has prosecuted attacks against Black Lives Matter protesters as well.

Several of those being charged were arrested in law enforcement raids across Southern California last Thursday. There is a $250,000 arrest warrant out for one last alleged conspirator.