by Andy Ngo and Eva Knott
As the criminal trial of two So Cal Antifa members goes into its third week, the public is learning about how one of the notorious Antifa groups organizes and carries out violence against targets.
Jeremy Jonathan White, 41, and Brian Cortez Lightfoot Jr., 27, both of Los Angeles, are accused of carrying out violent attacks on supporters of former President Donald Trump in a felony conspiracy—the first time Antifa suspects have been charged with such a serious felony accusation anywhere in the US Nine of their co-defendant comrades have already been convicted in plea deals, including Luis Francisco Mora, 32, who took a last-minute plea deal at the start of the trial.
Background
On Jan. 9, 2021, roving mobs of black-clad So Cal Antifa members attacked supporters of Donald Trump and people walking on the boardwalk at Pacific Beach in San Diego County. A dog and his walker were among those maced. Eleven people, about half from Los Angeles County, were indicted in 2022 by a secret grand jury on a total of 29 felonies, including conspiracy to riot, assault and other violent crimes. Prosecutors alleged the defendants engaged in a coordinated conspiracy to riot.
White is accused of two felonies: felony conspiracy to riot, plus felony assault of a man on a bicycle who was documenting the Antifa rioters with his cell phone. Lightfoot is accused of sixteen felonies as the alleged “ringleader” of the attack: conspiracy to riot, plus nine unlawful uses of tear gas charges and six felony assaults on six different victims.
Most of the nine co-defendants who already took plea deals still await sentencing, in which they expect to be sentenced to prison. Two were already sentenced to five years in prison each; their sentences were enhanced by prior outstanding felony charges in unrelated crimes.
The weeks of testimony in the trial so far featured experts on Antifa, detectives, and the victims of the violence that day. Testimony is supported by video evidence captured during the riot and messages sent between the co-conspirators. Just before jury selection, co-defendant Luis Francisco Mora took a last-minute plea deal and admitted to the charge of conspiracy to riot, plus assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury.
White surprised the court and prosecutors by entering a plea of “not guilty by reason of insanity.” If he is found guilty at this trial, a follow-up trial will determine his sanity.
‘The Antifa Soldier’
During her opening statements to jurors on April 2, prosecutor Makenzie Harvey showed video footage of violence during the riot that included aerials from a local police helicopter. The jury also saw communications between defendants, including one from Lightfoot, before the riot, in which he stated: “Got a team coming from L.A.” and “I wanna fight!” Lightfoot used the alias “John Wick” on his Signal encrypted communications and had an Antifa logo featuring black and red flags as his avatar photo. One of his confirmed Instagram usernames was “@antifaboyacab5.”
Prosecutor Makenzie Harvey shows jurors the Signal and social media usernames belonging to Brian Cortez Lightfoot Jr. Photo: Ken Stone/Times of San Diego
“ACAB,” an acronym of “all cops are bastards,” is a slogan used by Antifa and far-left extremists to express hatred of law enforcement and the state. White used the alias “ACAB Man” on Signal and “@theantifasoldier” on Instagram
Jurors saw an Instagram exchange White had with a comrade after the riot where he appeared to be preparing for another attack and referencing that he had exhausted his supply of chemical sprays from the Pacific Beach riot. “I just ran out of bear mace and pepper gel and was hoping to get those but I should be fine,” White wrote seven days after the riot. They also discussed how to exchange funds through Venmo.
Prosecutor Makenzie Harvey shows jurors photos of defendant Jeremy J. White, his online monikers and the riot gear he wore for the attack. Photo: Ken Stone/Times of San Diego
Prosecutors say Jeremy White used his ‘theantifasoldier’ Instagram account to discuss in private messages how he had ‘run out’ of chemical weapons from the Pacific Beach riot. Photo: Ken Stone/Times of San Diego
Prosecutors also unmasked others who were at the riot and communicated with So Cal Antifa members using a secret members-only Signal group called “SD Fash Bash.” Among them are two far-left self-identified journalists. Sean Beckner-Carmitchel, an LA-based videographer, uses the name “A Cat with News” on social media. He originally uploaded video of the riot on his Twitter account but later deleted the evidence.Another person at the riot in black bloc was Robert Sneed, a Portland, Oregon Antifa member who used the alias, “Chip Nooo.” Defendant White has testified this week that Sneed gave White and Lightfoot a ride to the riot from LA. Neither Beckner-Carmitchel nor Sneed were charged with crimes by prosecutors.
There were 18 members of the So Cal Antifa Signal secret chat group titled, ‘SD Fash Bash.’ Photo: Eva Knott
So Cal Antifa members communicated with other extremists all using aliases. Photo: Eva Knott
L.A. self-identified journalist Sean Beckner-Carmitchel was a member in the So Cal Antifa Signal chatroom, jurors saw
Lightfoot had numerous communications with individuals on social media about the riot. Prosecutors showed jurors an exchange he had with an individual boasting about robbing a bicycle off one of their victims.
‘Bigmoneypayso’ was one of the Instagram accounts belonging to defendant Brian Lightfoot. A person discusses crimes committed at the riot with him. Photo: Ken Stone/Times of San Diego
White, who is 6 feet 3 inches tall, stands out in the riot video because of his height and his distinctive black armored riot costume with a gas mask and helmet. His defense attorney Curtis Briggs argued that his client was a “medic” at the event.
Prosecutor Makenzie Harvey holds up the armored riot gear Jeremy White wore at the beach attack. Photo: Ken Stone/Times of San Diego
Since riots began against Trump and his supporters in 2017, Antifa and other far-left groups have popularized delegated roles to their members that include so-called “medics.” These protesters are instructed to provide first aid if their comrades are injured in the course of a riot. The self-identified medics often engage in rioting and violent behavior themselves.
“He [White] wanted to protect protestors,” Oakland-based attorney Briggs argued. He is providing counsel to White pro bono, as is San Francisco far-left activist John Hamasaki, counsel for Lightfoot.
When prosecutor Harvey first showed video evidence of defendant White macing a man who was walking his dog along the beach boardwalk, people in the courtroom gasped.
Prosecutors say Jeremy White sprayed bear mace on a dog and his walker on the beach. Photo: Ken Stone/Times of San Diego
One of the victims in the case was a then-minor schoolboy who was beaten by the Antifa rioters. Attorney Briggs showed the jurors a still photo of the boy and other youths and claimed those teens “blocked” the much larger Antifa group from marching on the beach boardwalk. “Many people will say they are fascists, the people wearing MAGA hats….the persons that Antifa faces off with,” Briggs said.
Lightfoot and White and al violent minded Bolsheviks need put away for the rest of their lives and isolated from the rest of the Inmates s they cant influence the rest of them with their Bolshevik ideas
The only “fascists” I can see are the ANTIFA thugs, Sturmabteilungen for the DNC.
Violence against political opponents and innocent civilians resides on the left. It has been said here that it is Trump supporters who are fomenters of violence. Nothing could be further from the truth. Go to any Trump rally with thousands of people, no violence.
Wait… what? Is this a trial of members of a group that doesn’t even exist? I thought ANTIFA was just an idea? It seems they have organization, structure and, illegally, travel from out of state to riot. Funny how this gets no attention and, of course, the FBI is not infiltrating and investigating the gutless cowards, ANTIFA.
Unless ANTIFA has a parade permit, those students have as much right to the sidewalks as leftist fascists do. No, they were simply doing what fascist ANTIFA does; pick out someone to isolate and overwhelm and attack. It’s about time… well PAST time for these chickenshits to be prosecuted.
And I thought bear spray was a deadly weapon. At least that’s what the January 6th committee led us to believe. There should be thousands and thousands more of trials like this. The left are the true dangerous, violent terrorists. They simply are condoned by Democrats.
Someone tell those PETA idiots that Antifa Bottom Feeders uses Bear Mace on Dogs
Rotties are such nice dogs, the doggo did nothing to be attacked so viciously. I bet these subhumans stomp kittens.
No Liberal Democrats or Globalists in the Jury Box Please