Alt-Right Trolls Are Posing as Boston Antifa on Facebook and YouTube

The tightly-knit crews of friends and comrades involved in the grassroots antifascist organizing taking place in the Boston area have remained steadfast in their resolution and commitment to each other and the communities they’re part of, showing unwavering solidarity in supporting each other while overcoming recent obstacles. After an anti-president’s day march was attacked by riot police in Worcester, 7 comrades were arrested on a range of bullshit charges (help the legal aid fund HERE).

As if to add insult to injury, the local newsrag decided to publish the personal information of the arrestees within hours of their arrests. This public outing of these young activists as antifascists was not only a sadistic attempt at humiliation on behalf of the news publication, who claim one of their reporters was assaulted while trying to livestream the march – but the publishing of their information was careless and dangerous more than anything, because almost immediately they were viscously doxxed by a widely followed local right-wing blog known for trying to humiliate “SJWs” and acting as a platform for local racist, homophobic/transphobic and misogynist toxicity.

In the wake of these events, the longstanding “Boston Antifa” Facebook page had been receiving a massive influx of troll activity, having been spammed with comments and messages from thousands of alt-right and fascist troll accounts. This “raid” was initiated by an alt-right meme page called God Emperor Trump , which resulted in Facebook entirely removing the Boston Antifa page due to what was likely a mass-reporting by these internet people. The Boston Antifa page, which had been up since 2011, had recently been a resource for all of the organizing going on in Boston around the Trump resistance and also provided a point of contact for folks who wanted to get involved.

Feb. 21 Notice from Facebook deleting the long-standing original Boston Antifa page

However, the same day that the original Boston Antifa page was deleted by Facebook, almost immediately two new pages were created by alt-right trolls hijacking the “Boston Antifa” page name. One page was clearly a troll page making fun of antifa and posting Trump memes, but the other looked like it could be a legitimate antifascist page, if only at a glance.

1 of 2 fake Boston Antifa Facebook pages

Screen shots of the other fake Boston Antifa page as of March 1st

The page that is the most concerning is the one presenting itself as an official Boston Antifa Facebook page being run by an official Boston Antifa “spokesperson” named Dustin. This person, who claims to be from Boston Antifa in videos uploaded to YouTube, is completely unknown by any of the actual antifascists actively organizing with each other and their communities in real life in the Boston area. It is very important for as many people around Boston and among the wider antifascist/anticapitalist community to know that any and all content published by these accounts are undoubtedly intended to undermine the actual antifascist work going on in Boston by spreading misinformation, and an attempt to discredit the recent gains and support antifascists have garnered, in Boston and across the US, by creating a false image of the movement.

Fake Boston Antifa YouTuber named “Dustin”. What kind of antifascist would actually do this? None.

Videos uploaded by fake “Boston Antifa” spokesperson “Dustin”

This unknown “antifa” poser troll “Dustin” seems to be also behind another antifascist themed Facebook page called “We Smash Fash – Anti-Fascists Worldwide” that also presents itself as a legitimate antifascist resource targeting the wider antifascist community. The alt-right have been known to operate honeypots this way and will collect the information of anyone naive enough to interact with them.

We Smash Fash – Anti-Fascists Worldwide is another honeypot disguised as an antifa page

Fan art? Wtf? Who is this kid “Dustin” posing as Boston Antifa?

Fascist clothing page sharing “Boston Antifa”s youtube videos. What more proof is needed

As the real activists and revolutionaries that make up the Boston Antifa community continue organizing in real life despite being removed from Facebook, these fascist imposters are creating fake content and making posts all day long just in an attempt to discredit the name and make antifa look bad. Let it be known that these pages are fascist trolls, and just because they are sharing posts from IGD and many other legitimate antifa-related pages we shouldn’t be fooled. We don’t want any comrades to be misinformed or taken advantage of. As far as social media goes, Boston Antifa’s sibling organization North Shore Antifa is still active on Facebook and serving as a verifiable and trustworthy resource for antifascist organizing in the Boston area.

Any information regarding the identity of “Dustin” or anyone behind these accounts, please contact [email protected]

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