- A conspiracy over a possible burning flag and children painting their faces for Antifa, short for “antifascist,” drew protesters against the Gettysburg battlefield days in advance of an event that never materialized.
- The commotion stemmed from a mysterious Facebook event called “Left Behind USA”, which later disappeared, calling for the “peaceful flag burning to resist the police” in the national park on July 4.
- A handful of self-proclaimed Oath Keepers, Confederate flag bearers and several right-wing militias descended on Gettysburg in advance, but so far nothing has happened, and the official Antifa chapter for central Pennsylvania has denied any involvement.
- “We are not even remotely involved,” the Central PA Antifa chapter wrote in an email. “Let them COVID. We will be home with our families.”
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A bizarre episode has unfolded at one of the nation’s most famous sites, with right-wing groups descending on the Gettysburg battlefield for no reason.
The commotion began in late June, with a mysterious Facebook event titled “Left Behind USA,” promising “peaceful flag burning to resist the police” in Gettysburg National Park on July 4.
Some Confederation flag bearers, self-proclaimed oaths and several right-wing militias descended on the park on July 1, anticipating a confrontation that has yet to materialize.
—It is going down (@IGD_News) July 4, 2020
—It is going down (@IGD_News) July 1, 2020
Local media and independent fact-checkers have debunked the claim that Antifa, a leaderless, decentralized movement dedicated to fighting right-wing authoritarianism and white supremacy, was planning some kind of flag-burning, and even the chapter Antifa’s official for central Pennsylvania has denied any intervention.
“We are not even remotely involved,” the Central PA Antifa chapter wrote in an email to the local Evening Sun newspaper. “Let them COVID. We will be home with our families.”
Local police released a statement that avoided delving into any of the conspiracy claims.
“We want to assure those we serve that we are taking all precautions at our disposal to maintain the safety of all area residents and visitors, as well as the protection of property to include businesses, homes, monuments, churches and other historical treasures. located in the greater Gettysburg area, “wrote Gettysburg County Sheriff Robert Glenny Jr.
As of the afternoon of July 4, local media and observers on the ground had yet to report any kind of anti-fascist presence or burning of flags on the ground, but some of the right-wing protesters were still there.
In 2017, a similar episode unfolded when a hoax circulated over Civil War graves to be desecrated by Antifa, but none of that ended up happening.
