Detention Officer Fired After Boasting ‘I Am Antifa’ on Social Media

A North Carolina sheriff’s office has fired a detention officer after investigators uncovered social-media posts in which he openly declared allegiance to Antifa, the radical left-wing network that has long clashed with police and conservatives across the country.

Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood confirmed Monday that Officer Brian Edwards, 31, was terminated after admitting online, “I am Antifa. And I will never comply with a fascist regime.” The post, made Friday on Bluesky, sparked swift backlash inside law enforcement circles.

Chief Deputy Tina Sykes said Edwards was immediately placed on leave while the department investigated. “Our credibility depends on the trust of the public,” she explained. “When an employee openly aligns themselves with an organization that has advocated violence against police, that trust is compromised.”

Edwards had worked with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office since 2022, after a stint as a correctional officer in Caswell County. At the time, the sheriff’s office highlighted his enthusiasm for the job, writing in a 2024 Facebook post that Edwards “appreciates the increased complexity” of working with pre-trial detainees who still retain most of their constitutional rights.

But in recent years, Antifa’s violent reputation—burning businesses, assaulting Trump supporters, and clashing with police during riots—has drawn federal attention. President Donald Trump, now serving his second term, has repeatedly vowed to “root out radical left extremists who target American law enforcement.”

“It’s unbelievable,” said retired Durham County Sheriff’s deputy Mark Phillips in an interview Tuesday. “You can’t have someone in a badge and uniform claiming Antifa ties. That’s like a firefighter joining an arson club.”

For his part, Edwards told Raleigh’s WRAL News that he disagreed with the decision. “I respect the sheriff’s office, but I disagree with how my situation was handled. I’m focused on moving forward and won’t be commenting further at this time.”

Critics argue his words don’t erase the damage. “Public safety officers swear an oath to the Constitution,” said State Rep. Steve Tyson (R-NC). “Antifa’s mission is chaos, destruction, and silencing political opponents. If you choose to side with that, you’ve chosen to side against law-abiding North Carolinians.”

Sheriff Blackwood emphasized that the firing was about maintaining standards. “We must protect, serve, and treat everyone with dignity and respect. Anything that undermines that mission can’t be tolerated.”

The dismissal also sends a broader signal during Trump’s law-and-order presidency: federal and local authorities alike are under pressure to ensure extremist ideologies don’t infiltrate the ranks.

As Phillips put it bluntly: “If you say you’re Antifa, you don’t belong in a uniform. Period.”