Perhaps this is like the tactics applied by Boris Johnson to distract search results. Now antifa is going to be all over the news for being an alleged terrorist group regardless of its validity.
Even now, I'd say the majority of the 'members' of this movement, as in the people that show up, are all sorts of people, generally left-wing but including what in the US would be called 'liberals'. Most of these are not explicitly members of AFA.
So I'd say 'co-opted' sort of doesn't fully cover the situation. But I'd also say you're not entirely wrong either.
But they obviously are a violent anarchist group causing violence, riots, mayhem (and terror?) for their political opponents, regardless of logo used.
This part isn’t news. This probably the most widely known fact known about ANTIFA worldwide, and has been for years. It’s literally their raison d'être.
Clearly they operate unlawfully. If they are a “terrorist” organisation though, that’s another debate.
Either way, if ANTIFA is your friend or ally, I would consider that a PR problem you’ll need to address sooner rather than later.
ANTIFA is not cool.