'Cities were burned': Republicans want a commission for Antifa riots, submit bill to study domestic terrorist attacks

A group of four House Republicans lead by Don Bacon (R-Neb.) introduced a bill that hopes to establish a commission that will investigate the involvement of Antifa in domestic riots.

H.R.649 seeks to establish a National Commission on Domestic Terrorist Attacks on the United States by Antifa, with House members saying it will be structured like the 9/11 Commission and "mirrors" the January 6 commission.

Bacon, along with Republican Reps. Brian Babin (Texas), Maria Salazar (Fla.), and Claudia Tenney (N.Y.), wants to create an "independent bipartisan commission" that will examine the 2020 riots (colloquially known as the George Floyd riots) as well as the most recent rioting that happened in downtown Atlanta.

“While the majority of participants in demonstrations across the country are peaceful, some events themselves became destructive due to organized pushes for violence by Antifa,” said Bacon.

“Many cities were burned and businesses destroyed," Bacon continued, even remarking on the viral videos where people were harassed while eating at outside restaurants, propositioned with violence or bending a knee.

According to Fox News, estimates from the riots say they caused up to $2 billion in property damage.

"Most recently, Atlanta was the scene of violence as businesses were targeted and law enforcement vehicles were attacked. Just as with the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, we must learn the truth about who is behind the violence and who is pushing the narrative to try and weaken our country and scare people into submission," the Nebraska politician concluded.

Rep. Babin said it is time to hold the "extremists" in Antifa accountable, while Rep. Salazar pressed for resolution through "dialogue, peaceful protests or at the ballot box."

"We must better understand what happened during these riots – who organized them, who funded them, and who led them," said New York's Rep. Tenney.

Collectively, the Republicans concluded their proposal with the following statement: “Americans are guaranteed the right to protest and should feel safe knowing that they will not be caught up in terroristic actions by others. They deserve to know the truth about the underlying causes of the violent domestic terrorist sieges in our cities. They also deserve to feel safe no matter where they live, what time of day it is, or what situation it is.”

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