How would you compare the capitol insurrectionists against Antifa? In the case of the insurrectionists there were no clear-cut defined goals for the group that stormed the capitol building. Though some were definitely there to cause destruction and intimidation, most were just following the crowd and got caught up in the hysteria. The individuals became a herd. And a herd usually follows the ones out front. That happens when people are passionate, but too willing to follow the wrong leaders. And that’s what happened here. President Trump’s speech on the mall that day was powerful and for the most part he spoke to those who supported him in challenging the election. But he did not encourage the crowd to rush the capitol. To be sure the people who did storm the capitol should have been arrested and fined or brought to trial, depending on the individual circumstances. Several are facing a trial date of January 31, 2022.
Antifa, on the other hand, actively promoted the rioting that resulted in property destruction and loss of life in 2020. In that same year Antifa established “Autonomous Zones” in Seattle and Washington DC. These became “cop-free” zones. And those zones were “policed” by Antifa organizations. Also, as early as July of 2019, a resolution was introduced in the U.S. Senate calling for Antifa to be designated as a domestic terrorist organization. Similar measures were also taken in several individual state legislatures. Those who align with Antifa fully understand their goals which include defunding police departments and destruction of the capitalist society. That was tried in Nazi Germany prior to WWII with the Sturmabteilung (Brownshirts or Storm Troopers). Antifa shares some of the same goals of the Brownshirts co-founder, Ernst Rohm, especially his anti-capitalist agenda.
Summing up, though the insurrectionists have been accused of being terrorists and some could rightly be classified as criminals, not all fell into the same category. Was it unfortunate that some were too weak not to get caught up in the moment and pull themselves out of that situation? Of course. They were complicit along with the ones who intentionally meant harm. But those weak ones certainly did not rise to the level of Antifa.