Back when Antifa was first becoming known nationwide, we got hot takes from the likes of CNN’s Don Lemon explaining that “Antifa” literally came from the word “antifascist,” so why would we not celebrate them?
We didn’t see much if any coverage on CNN or other mainstream networks of Antifa laying siege to the federal courthouse in Portland, but that would have been a fine time to interview a member of Antifa if you could catch them between throwing fireworks at law enforcement officers and shining green lasers in their eyes.
For some reason, though, Reuters thought this was the week to do a profile on an Antifa activist.
'Antifascism is more than just punching Nazis in the face': An exclusive profile of a former Girl Scout who is now an American Antifa activist https://t.co/2kQr2xUQLn pic.twitter.com/7jJW9K5mMj
— Reuters (@Reuters) August 25, 2021
We love that their pull quote is literally, it’s “more than just punching Nazis in the face.” How many literal Nazis has Antifa punched in the face? Or is its definition of “Nazi” a little wider?
Aram Roston reports:
You wouldn’t know it, but [Nicole] Armbruster, 5’5″ and under 130 pounds, is a militant activist in the far-left Antifa movement. She has clashed on the streets with the rightwing Proud Boys extremist group, with the alt-right movement and with police.
Her arrest record – in Washington, DC, Arizona, Virginia, Minnesota and Florida – dates to 2003, for charges of unlawful assembly, failure to disperse, violating the Riot Act and assaulting far-right leaders and a police officer. Most of her prior charges were dismissed by judges or prosecutors; she faces three pending cases.
“We are prepared to put our bodies on the line in the event of police or fascist or racist violence,” she said. “And it’s really, like, a duty to humanity to do that, right?”
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Did she ever know that she’s our hero?
Nicole Armbruster openly incites violence & has ongoing violent charges related to assault. This is a dangerous woman who should be covered without glorifying or legitimizing her violent extremist beliefs.
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) August 27, 2021
And here's an exclusive profile by Reuters hahahaha
— Eduardo Felau (@eduardofelau) August 27, 2021
So…one of those domestic terrorists we keep hearing about.
Alert the FBI.
— I Didn’t Vote For This Incompetent Old Clown (@corrcomm) August 27, 2021
Nicole Armbruster, a violent suspect in ongoing criminal cases, came from a well-to-do suburban family. She was radicalized after going to @StLawrenceU & now has a long arrest record across four states & DC. She was a camp coordinator for @girlscouts. https://t.co/oTa71dpbWw
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) August 27, 2021
Love it when international news orgs do writeups of bored rich kids pic.twitter.com/KN2ivmQvwA
— Neizan (@PMDawnStan) August 25, 2021
St. Lawrence University
Undergraduate tuition and fees:
$56,765 USD— Coasian Bargain (@CoasianBargain) August 25, 2021
I thought Antifa didn't exist?
— Liekitis (@liekitis) August 25, 2021
It’s just an idea.
This tweet seems disturbingly condescendent with violence.
— Marcial Padilla (@marcialpg) August 25, 2021
It seems like she doesn’t really know what she’s fighting and just wants an outlet for her rage. Cute dog though.
— Kat 🦁 (@Ka_tastrophy) August 25, 2021
She looks like such a fundamentally happy and pleasant person
— Jay Jay The Jack Off Plane (@J4ck0ffPlan3) August 27, 2021
🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡
— Caco (@caco_156) August 28, 2021
It's painting political rivals as them to rationalise the punching too.
— ĐȺvɨđ (@deadrebel) August 25, 2021
Exactly.
Anyone who disagrees with her is a “fascist” or “nazi” and the only people she’d ever “punch in the face” are the people she and her friends outnumber. She’s a punk.
— ⚡️Erick Brockway⚡️ (@erickbrockway) August 25, 2021
Bless. Is that the future?.. Everyone living in buses and punching people they don’t like.
— Helen (@helskarth) August 25, 2021
I have a hard time understanding just what Antifa really wants. I understand hating what the Nazis stood for, but it seems that everything they don't like gets labeled fascist.
— Bob (@bobmindedness) August 26, 2021
Antifacism is more than punching people we disagree with, it’s also about being fascist too
— Bronco (@Bnaumanon) August 28, 2021
I’d love to read @Reuters profiles of a few Proud Boys members & see if they have such a favorable & sympathetic tone.
— Stars and Stripes (@StarznStrypz) August 27, 2021
Andy takes a lot of shit, but no one provides this kind of info better than he does. One wonders if Reuters knows who they're dealing with, or if they care.
— Not-that-kind-of-doctor D, Psy.D (@FakeDoctorD) August 28, 2021
It’s a really, really long profile, and almost entirely sympathetic.
Why is Reuters promoting this?
— GhostofRichardNixon (@Ghost_of_Nixon) August 27, 2021
She looks the part.
— Chris Perkins (@SaltyAreUs) August 27, 2021
They all have the same face.
— Organized Armoire (@OrganizedArmoi1) August 27, 2021
Yet another unattractive woman who is pissed about it.
— Chili of Cheese (@ChiliofCheese1) August 27, 2021
There should be more of these profiles. I like identifiable poisonous snakes better than anonymous ones.
— Mason Simpson (@MaceChan) August 27, 2021
That puff piece makes it sound like she's making the world a much better place.
— Mike McNulty (@MJmcnult) August 28, 2021
“Last year, Armbruster bought a patch of land in Arizona, a lot in the barren desert with no signs or roads leading to it, no house and no water or sewage.” Looks like that degree is really paying off.
Related:
MSNBC’s Joy Reid reminds us that Antifa is literally short for anti-fascist, so maybe you’re the fascist https://t.co/wlbl1rpF9M
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) July 20, 2021
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