It is a distraction, but it's also pretty obviously an attempt at narrative control.

We know what happens to people who get accused by this administration of being a gang member regardless of any evidence. It becomes an excuse to ignore basic rights.

We know that new memo NSPM-7 relies on vague language and Patriot Act era justifications that could potentially allow them to label any opposition to the president or the GOP as a member of Antifa, and it labels members of "Antifa" domestic terrorists. Under the patriot act, people who are believed to be domestic terrorists lose automatic rights and protections of civil liberties, in the name of keeping America safe from terroristic threats. Loss of individual rights for the greater common good.

The GOP has made very public statements about the No Kings rally and accusations about Antifa/paid protestors. Aside from just attempting to send a message to their base and stir up (potentially violent) conflict against a peaceful protest, it also provides the narrative that everyone attending the protest knew that doing so risked associating them with domestic terrorism.

I feel like it's pretty obvious where this is going. Or at least what they're threatening and want us to believe it's going. I'm not sure that they will actually follow through with cracking down, but there seems to be a few different possible scenarios for why they are so desperate to repeat and spread this rhetoric.

A. They are using this tactic to scare and intimidate people in order to decrease turn out on Saturday.

B. They actually will crack down on the protest, and use it as an excuse to target and arrest people for expressing free speech.

C. They're hoping their supporters will hear their rhetoric as justification, and carry out their dirty work for them by commiting an act of domestic terrorism. Except since it was an act against Antifa, obviously they will be considered patriots, not terrorists.

If C. happens, it not only keeps their hands clean, it potentially allows them to deploy military or federal safety task forces across the country to crack down and "keep the peace, for everyone's safety" even though their rhetoric definitely seems to be encouraging something like this to happen.

If B. happens, and arrests and agitation of peaceful protesters causes enough chaos and outrage, it also potentially gives them an excuse to deploy more military or federal task forces to cities across the country to prevent riots. (Which they're probably going to be doing in the very near future anyway, this just gives them the illusion of justification despite instigating the chaos.)

I'm hoping for the best case scenario, which is obviously A. They're just using fear tactics to passive aggressively suppress free speech. TACO but they're also willing to stoop lower than low to advance their agenda.

Regardless of what happens, the labeling anyone who disagrees with you "Antifa" is fascist bullshit, and if people stay home on Saturday, the actual terrorists win.