Gettysburg native Christopher Mathias returned home Thursday evening to discuss his new book, To Catch a Fascist: The Fight to Expose the Radical Right, which offers a firsthand look at the extremist movements he has covered as a journalist and challenges popular misconceptions about both fascism and antifa.
Speaking at Gettysburg College, Mathias drew on years of reporting about white nationalist groups, militia movements, and political radicalization in the United States. He described how many Americans came to know the word “antifa” through political rhetoric rather than through an understanding of what antifascist activists actually do.
Mathias said the term became a catchall villain during Donald Trump’s first term, often portrayed as a shadowy movement bent on chaos. In reality, he explained, antifa is not a centralized organization but a loose network of activists who monitor extremist groups, document their activities, and attempt to stop violence before it happens.
He said many of those activists were warning years ago that white supremacists and other far-right extremists were growing in strength, recruiting online and seeking positions of influence in law enforcement, politics, and community institutions. Those warnings, he suggested, were often dismissed until extremist violence became impossible to ignore.
Mathias contrasted that with what he described as the true nature of fascism: authoritarian politics rooted in scapegoating, political violence, the suppression of dissent, and the glorification of a rigid social order. He said fascism does not always arrive wearing historical symbols or uniforms, but can emerge gradually through intimidation, propaganda, and attacks on democratic norms.
Drawing from stories in his book, Mathias described antifascist activists as people willing to do painstaking investigative work — tracking online aliases, exposing hate-group members, and alerting communities to threats. He said that work can involve gray areas and personal risk, but argued that it has prevented harm and brought public attention to dangerous movements before they acted.
As a reporter, Mathias said one lesson he learned was that extremism often thrives when it is minimized or normalized. Fringe ideas, he noted, can migrate into mainstream politics when left unchecked. He also said many extremists seek publicity and conflict, making responsible journalism especially important.
Rather than sensationalizing such groups, he said reporters must focus on facts, accountability, and the impact extremist movements have on targeted communities.
Mathias also emphasized that antifascism is not limited to street confrontations, often shown in viral clips. He described it more broadly as community self-defense — neighbors, researchers, journalists, and organizers working to protect democratic values and vulnerable people.
The event also marked a hometown return for a journalist whose career has taken him to national outlets, including HuffPost, The Guardian, and MSNBC. Mathias noted that growing up in Gettysburg — a town deeply linked to the nation’s struggle over freedom and equality — shaped how he thinks about democracy and conflict. He was delighted to welcome quite a few friends, teachers, and mentors whom he thanked for their positive impact. He spoke for approximately an hour, then took questions for about 30 minutes.
His message on Thursday was that the fight against authoritarianism is not abstract or distant. It is ongoing and depends on ordinary citizens recognizing threats before they become crises.
In its February 23rd edition, The New Yorker called Mathias’s work an “absorbing book (that) documents attempts by activists who are part of the Antifa movement to expose and sabotage far-right-wing groups.”
Very informative article. Reason enough for attending lectures offered at the college. Thank you for covering this important subject and celebrating a hometown person.