Mark Bray, a Rutgers University history professor and self-proclaimed “Antifa expert,” has fled the United States to Spain after allegedly receiving “death threats” amid accusations that he is more involved with the far-left extremist movement than simply studying it.
The professor has been openly supportive of Antifa tactics, including writing the actual handbook.
Bray, dubbed “Dr. Antifa” by critics and students alike, denies any direct membership in Antifa, insisting in interviews, “I am not now, nor have I ever been, part of any kind of antifascist or anti-racist organization – I just haven’t. I’m a professor,” according to a report from The Guardian.
However, his 2017 book, Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook, has fueled accusations of deeper involvement.
In the book, Bray pledged 50% of proceeds to the International Anti-Fascist Defense Fund, which he described as supporting “the legal or medical costs of people facing charges for organizing pertaining to anti-fascism or anti-racism.”
Conservatives argue this constitutes material support, potentially opening the door for federal investigations under Trump’s order designating Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization.
The controversy erupted when the Rutgers chapter of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) launched a petition calling for Bray’s dismissal.
The petition, hosted on Change.org, accuses Bray of being an “Antifa financier” and an “outspoken, well-known antifa member,” stating that his presence at Rutgers endangers students and promotes terrorist behavior.
The organization, whose founder, Charlie Kirk, was executed last month at a college speaking event, stated in the petition:
“With the current trend of left-wing terrorism, having a prominent leader of the antifa movement on campus is a threat to conservative students on campus. Dr. Bray has regularly referred to mainstream conservative figures such as Bill O’reilly as fascist while he calls for militant actions to be taken against these individuals. This is the kind of rhetoric that resulted in Charlie Kirk being assassinated last month.”
TPUSA’s Rutgers chapter further amplified their concerns on Instagram, posting: “Do you want to become a socialist? If so, make sure to pay this professor a visit!!!! All jokes aside help us report this professor who has ties to Antifa which now is designated as a domestic terrorist organization.”
TPUSA has emphasized that it does not condone death threats, harassment, or doxxing, focusing instead on accountability for radical ideologies on campus.
On Wednesday, Bray’s family’s flight from Newark Liberty International Airport was abruptly canceled at the gate after they had checked bags and cleared security.
Bray shared on Bluesky, “‘Someone’ cancelled my family’s flight out of the country at the last second. We got our boarding passes. We checked our bags. Went through security. Then at our gate our reservation ‘disappeared.’”
They rescheduled and successfully fled to Spain the following day, The Hill reports.