College Republicans United at ASU held an event on Thursday advocating for students to report anyone affiliated with antifa.
Three demonstrators associated with CRU at ASU brought posters to the event, encouraging students to call the FBI on antifa members. They also displayed flyers with students, alumni and faculty who were arrested for what CRU at ASU deemed to be violent, antifa-related crimes.
Antifa, which is shorthand for anti-fascist, is an umbrella term that describes far-left-leaning militant groups that often resist fascists or neo-Nazis, especially at demonstrations.
"We're America first in ideology in that we want what's best for the American people, and we believe our activism touches on the important issues to promote those best interests for America," said Kevin Decuyper, who co-founded CRU at ASU in 2018 as a student and is now the chairman of the College Republicans United national organization.
CRU at ASU is not a registered student organization, according to a University spokesperson.
President Donald Trump's recent designation of antifa as a domestic terrorist organization prompted CRU at ASU to host the event.
Several members of the Young Democratic Socialists of America chapter at ASU set up a table next to CRU at ASU in response to a newsletter from Republicans United Arizona calling the organization an associate of antifa. Heated verbal exchanges between members of the two organizations occurred intermittently, but the event remained peaceful.
"Antifa isn't an organization," said Liz Cunningham, a member of YDSA at ASU and a junior studying art. "There's no central anything. It's just people that are anti-fascism."
Decuyper said Trump's designation of antifa as an organization makes it one, despite what others may say. He also said CRU at ASU's effort was intended to influence the government to take action against violent crime.
READ MORE: College Republicans United at ASU plans event for students to report people with antifa ties
Harold Branch, a member of YDSA at ASU and a senior studying biological sciences, said he was at the event to stand up for his organization.
"(CRU at ASU is) targeting vulnerable people, telling (people) to dox them," Branch said. "I'm going to protect my club. I'm going to protect the people there. I'm going to protect as many marginalized groups as I can on campus."
Paul Reevs, who is running for Congress in Arizona, was invited to attend the event by CRU at ASU after reaching out to various conservative organizations on campus, asking for a partnership. He said the issue was especially important to him as a father of former and future University students.
To Reevs, CRU at ASU was demonstrating against violent crime and disruption on campus. He said anyone who wants to intimidate, threaten or commit violence should be arrested.
"I would be happy if my daughter could walk across this campus in this environment," Reevs said.
Reevs found CRU at ASU's tabling event in January, which Aliento at ASU protested at, courageous in the face of so much opposition. He said it was uplifting that the tabling group and protesters did not grow violent.
READ MORE: Hundreds protest CRU at ASU event, in solidarity with immigrants and DACA students
Ian Selga, a junior studying mechanical engineering who passed by CRU at ASU, said people have to "be able to communicate ideas without thinking that the other person is being purposefully antagonistic."
"If we can't do that, then we can't even have basic discussions," Selga added.
Edited by Carsten Oyer, Henry Smardo, Sophia Braccio and Ellis Preston.
Reach the reporters at elbradfo@asu.edu and pkfung@asu.edu and follow @emmalbradford__ and @FungPippa on X.
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Pippa Fung is a digital producer, helping to edit and publish articles. This is her fourth semester at The State Press, where she has previously worked for The Echo, politics and senior reporter desks. Pippa has also worked for the Los Alamos National Laboratory's policy office and Boomtown Los Alamos, a local online newspaper.
Emma Bradford is a junior studying journalism and mass communication and political science with a minor in business. She has previously worked at the Cronkite News Washington, D.C. bureau as a Politics and Money Reporter. Bradford is in her fourth semester with The State Press and on the politics desk.
