Pittsfield On Alert As State Police Warn Of ‘Disruptive Agitators

The city of Pittsfield is on alert as state police warn city officials on Monday that “disruptive agitators” might be planning to move into smaller communities, prompting authorities to increase the number of troopers assigned to local barracks.

The Berkshire Eagle reports that according to Pittsfield Police Chief Michael Wynn, intelligence gathered by officials at the commonwealth’s Fusion Center and other agencies indicated that some disruptive agitators that may have been present in Boston protesting the death of George Floyd, had indicated they might move out of the larger cities into the remote areas.

It was also brought up that one of the groups was Antifa, which was also brought up by President Trump this past weekend said he would declare Antifa a terrorist organization.

So who is Antifa?  The New York Post in an article on this subject says It is impossible to know how many people count themselves as members. Its followers acknowledge that the movement is secretive, has no official leaders, and is organized into autonomous local cells. It is also only one in a constellation of activist movements that have come together in the past few years to oppose the far right.

Supporters of Antifa generally seek to stop what they see as fascist, racist and far-right groups from having a platform to promote their views, arguing that public demonstration of those ideas leads to the targeting of marginalized people, including racial minorities, women, and members of the L.G.B.T.Q. community.

Hundreds of protesters gathered in Park Square in downtown Pittsfield this past  Saturday, Tyer among those in attendance, to take part in a local action organized by the Berkshire County chapter of the NAACP and spurred by the Minneapolis death of George Floyd, 46, while he was in police custody.