Fascism expert flees US for Spain after receiving death threats
Mark Bray, a history professor at Rutgers University and antifascism expert, has left the United States and sought refuge in Spain with his family due to death threats and harassment from conservative groups. Though he denies membership in Antifa, his academic work has made him a target following Donald Trump's designation of the group as terrorist. Bray now lives in Madrid and has moved his classes online for safety reasons.
Mark Bray, a history professor at Rutgers University in New Jersey, is the author of 'Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook' (2017), a book exploring the history and strategies of antifascist movements. Since 2019, he has taught courses on antifascism, terrorism, communism, and human rights. However, his research has been viewed by conservative sectors as violent activism, particularly after Donald Trump's executive order designating Antifa as a terrorist organization.
The situation escalated when figures like influencer Jack Posobiec and Turning Point USA (TPUSA) members spread his name, accusing him of promoting dangerous ideologies and funding extremists. Threats intensified after the assassination of TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk, though Bray had no connection to the incident. His personal address was leaked on social media, and he received threatening emails, including one promising to kill him in front of his students. The Rutgers chapter of TPUSA launched a petition for his dismissal and encouraged campus reports.
Bray, who temporarily relocated to Europe for safety, told the AP: “I have received many online attacks instigated by conservative groups. My address and information about me has been leaked on social media. I felt fear for myself and my family if I stayed in the United States.” He initially faced travel issues, as his flight reservation appeared canceled in the airline system.
In 2017, while at Dartmouth College, Bray defended violence as legitimate self-defense against neo-Nazis or white supremacists, drawing criticism. Rutgers has stated it does not comment on personnel matters and reaffirms its commitment to a safe environment without intimidation. TPUSA denies supporting violence or doxing but maintains that professors should be accountable for radical ideologies. For Bray, this exemplifies conflating protest with terrorism and academia with extremism: “This is an example of how protest is confused with terrorism and academic research with extremism.”