Two defendants guilty of conspiracy in groundbreaking Antifa trial in San Diego – By Will Charles (USA Today) / May 3, 2024
The case could change how the movement is understood and could place anti-fascists and other protesters in prosecutors’ sights
A San Diego jury on Friday found two anti-fascists guilty of conspiracy to riot, in a case that became a bellwether for legal action against the political movement.
The two defendants had faced a raft of various charges related to rioting and assault during a protest in a beach neighborhood in the aftermath of the tumultuous 2020 election. In that protest, on Jan. 9, 2021, members of the Proud Boys and other supporters of then-President Donald Trump had rallied and clashed with anti-fascists.
But only the anti-fascists had faced charges. Prosecutors set out to convince a jury that the assailants were not simply individual participants, but that they had conspired under the banner of Antifa, essentially acting as a criminal gang.
Brian Lightfoot and Jeremy White were both found guilty of conspiracy to riot at the protest.
