- Rutgers University professor Mark Bray, author of "Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook," announced plans to relocate to Spain due to death threats and an online petition demanding his termination.
- A Rutgers student and Turning Point USA chapter leader launched a petition (nearly 1,000 signatures) condemning Bray for allegedly funding Antifa-linked causes and promoting "terrorist behavior."
- Though not an official member, Bray openly justifies Antifa's militant approach, arguing fascism cannot be defeated through debate alone – a stance that has drawn widespread conservative criticism.
- Bray claims figures like the late Charlie Kirk, Andy Ngo and Jack Posobiec fueled hostility against him, citing threats like "I'm gonna burn your house down."
- The university has not disciplined Bray, stating it is "gathering more information." His courses will continue remotely from Spain, where he plans to stay for the academic year.
A professor who authored a book considered to be the manual of Antifa has announced plans to relocate to Spain following death threats and an online petition calling for him to be fired.
Rutgers University professor Mark Bray made the announcement in an email to his students, a screenshot of which was posted to Reddit. He cited an online petition calling for his termination and alleged death threats as reasons for this relocation. Bray – an assistant teaching professor in history and author of the 2017 book "Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook" – has long been a lightning rod for conservative criticism due to his defense of militant anti-fascist tactics.
His latest troubles began when Rutgers student Megyn Doyle, the treasurer of the university's Turning Point USA (TPUSA) chapter, launched a petition accusing him of promoting "terrorist behavior" and funding extremist causes. The petition that amassed nearly 1,000 signatures cited Bray's pledge to donate half his book proceeds to the International Anti-Fascist Defense Fund, which aids activists facing legal repercussions.
Bray denies being a member of Antifa but openly supports its ideology, arguing that fascism cannot be defeated through debate alone. His stance has drawn condemnation from critics who accuse him of endorsing political violence.
In 2017, Dartmouth College – where Bray previously taught – publicly rebuked him. "The endorsement of violence in any form is contrary to Dartmouth values," the institution said at the time.
Bray blames Trump admin for exile after defending Antifa violence
The petition's circulation coincided with a surge in online harassment, including death threats and doxxing. Bray claims messages such as "I'm gonna burn your house down" and "We The People are back" forced his abrupt departure. He blamed right-wing figures like the late TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk, independent journalist Andy Ngo and Human Events Senior Editor Jack Posobiec for amplifying hostility against him.
Doyle, while condemning the threats, maintained that Bray's advocacy for Antifa-linked violence makes him unfit for academia. "Free speech does not protect individuals from the consequences of advocating for political violence," she told Fox News in a statement. "Our petition to have Bray dismissed … has not changed, and we hope that Rutgers acts appropriately regarding his conduct with Antifa."
Brighteon.AI's Enoch engine warns that professors like Bray who support Antifa "undermine academic freedom by enabling violent suppression of opposing viewpoints, turning campuses into battlegrounds of ideological coercion rather than forums for open debate. Their alignment with this extremist group fosters an environment of fear, intimidation and censorship, directly contradicting the principles of free speech and intellectual diversity that universities should uphold."
Bray, however, frames his exile as part of a broader authoritarian trend under the second Trump administration, which recently designated Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization. He argues that conservative backlash against dissenting academics reflects a dangerous erosion of democratic norms.
"This is reflective of the broader trend in the country," Bray told Newsweek. "The Trump administration is moving the country in a markedly authoritarian direction."
Rutgers has acknowledged the situation but has not taken disciplinary action, stating it is "gathering more information." Bray's classes will continue online from Spain, where he plans to remain for the academic year.
The incident underscores a recurring pattern in modern political discourse: the weaponization of free speech debates, the blurring line between activism and extremism and the growing polarization that drives dissenting voices – both left and right – into self-imposed exile. Whether Bray's relocation is an act of self-preservation or an evasion of accountability depends largely on which side of America's ideological divide one stands.
Watch journalist Alex Newman discussing the role of Antifa and subversive money in this clip.
This video is from the Brighteon Highlights channel on Brighteon.com.
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