NEW BRUNSWICK -- A Rutgers University professor has fled the country with his family after receiving violent threats, the latest flashpoint in a growing war between right-wing activists and the academic community.
Mark Bray, a historian at Rutgers specializing in modern Spain, says he was forced to leave his home and take refuge in Europe after being branded "Dr. Antifa" by Turning Point USA, the conservative campus group founded by the late Charlie Kirk.
Bray, author of "Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook," has long been a target of conservative commentators. But this time, he says the harassment turned dangerous.
The Turning Point USA chapter's online petition accuses him of promoting violence.
"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. There statements have the kind of rhetoric that resulted in Charlie Kirk being assassinated last month," according to the petition.
In September, President Donald Trump signed an order designating the decentralized movement known as antifa -- short for "anti-fascists" -- as a domestic terrorist organization, even though a former FBI official has said it was more an ideology than a cohesive group. The group has been blamed by Trump for the protests in Portland, Oregon, which led to the National Guard being deployed.
On the other side is a petition by Alexander Di Filippo calling for the university to disband the chapter as part of an effort to restore security and inclusivity to campus instead of spreading fear.
"It's imperative that we take decisive action to restore security and the feeling on inclusivity to the campus. The safety and well-being of our students and faculty must be prioritized, particularly when the activities of certain groups endanger lives, spread fear among the community, and actively suppress the right for others to speak their minds freely or teach honestly," Di Filippo wrote in the petition.
The petition says Turning Point USA has continuously promoted hate speech and incited violence against the community, creating "a toxic environment," which led Bray to relocate his family to Europe. In a screenshot of a message to his students, Cray explains that he and his family received a death threat and a separate threat that included his home address.
"Since my family and I do not feel safe in our home at the moment we are moving for the year to Europe. Truly I am so bummed about not being able to spend time with you all in the classroom. I really enjoyed our conversations," Cray wrote. He added that he will record his lectures because of the time difference.
Rutgers AAUP-AFT and the Rutgers Adjunct Faculty Union in a statement condemned the Turning Point chapter's campaign against Bray and encouraged the entire campus to show its support.
"Silence in the face of these assaults will only embolden the far right. With that in mind, the Rutgers faculty unions reject Turning Point USA's smear campaigns and proudly stand with our colleagues Dr. Mark Bray and (partner) Dr. Yesenia Barragan. We call on all members of the Rutgers community -- from students to staff to administrators -- to join us in publicly expressing this position."
In a statement Rutgers spokeswoman Melissa Blake said the university does not comment on specific personnel or student conduct matters.
"Rutgers University is committed to providing a secure environment -- to learn, teach, work, and research, where all members of our community can share their opinions without fear of intimidation or harassment. Rutgers is committed to upholding the rights of students and faculty to free speech and academic freedom as fundamental to our community," Blake said.
Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was assassinated during an appearance at Utah State University in Logan on Sept. 10. The group has received tens of thousands of requests to create new chapters in high schools and colleges since Kirk's death.