“The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization,” President Trump tweeted.

Attorney General Barr, in a DOJ press release, rolled out the larger agenda. “Federal law enforcement actions will be directed at apprehending and charging the violent radical agitators who have hijacked peaceful protest and are engaged in violations of federal law. To identify criminal organizers and instigators, and to coordinate federal resources with our state and local partners, federal law enforcement is using our existing network of 56 regional FBI Joint Terrorism Task Forces (JTTF). The violence instigated and carried out by Antifa and other similar groups in connection with the rioting is domestic terrorism and will be treated accordingly.”

Tactically, dealing with Antifa represents some of the same challenges as dealing with the KKK. Both are domestic decentralized organizations that engage in violence. The legal challenges of dealing with the KKK required the passage of the third of the Enforcement Acts. It’s also known as the Klu Klux Act of 1871, which has, in some form, continued to stick around today.

I don’t think we need to go Third Act for dealing with Antifa, but it can be good to know that the precedent does exist.