Explainer: What is Antifa and is the Trump administration causing ‘moral panic’?

The Mirror US News recently asked me how the Trump administration’s portrayal of Antifa reflects a broader sociological pattern of moral panic and political framing.

For my contribution, I explained how labeling Antifa as a “shadowy and violent enemy” serves as a strategic political tool undermining left-wing critics, discouraging protest, and legitimizing aggressive law enforcement tactics. This framing also operates as a diversionary mechanism, shifting public focus away from pressing issues like economic instability, healthcare access, and government transparency.

I shared with the author, drawing on sociologist Stanley Cohen’s concept of moral panic, the piece connects this narrative to historical precedents such as the Red Scare of the early 20th century and McCarthyism of the mid century, when fear-based storytelling eroded civil liberties in the name of security.

The full article examines how these recurring “enemy within” narratives shape American public opinion and policy:
https://www.themirror.com/news/politics/explainer-what-antifa-trump-administration-1448093