Antifa, short for "anti-fascist," is a loosely organized political movement primarily in the United States composed of activists who oppose fascism, racism, and far-right extremism. It is not a single, centralized group but rather a decentralized array of autonomous groups and individuals. Antifa members engage in a range of activities from nonviolent actions like protests, community organizing, and digital activism to sometimes confrontational or violent tactics against far-right extremists including neo-Nazis and white supremacists. The movement draws mainly from left-wing ideologies such as anarchism, communism, and socialism, with many activists holding anti- authoritarian and anti-capitalist views. The term itself originated from the German antifascist movement and means anti-fascist in German.
In summary, antifa means anti-fascist and refers to a diverse movement opposing fascism and far-right ideologies, using both peaceful and direct action methods.