Will County Gazette

An emergency order of protection has been filed against David Anzelc, a self-identified Antifa activist, following multiple allegations of harassment and doxxing of individuals. 

Anzelc, a 36-year-old from Plainfield, is accused of running a years-long campaign of doxxing, online impersonation and real-world intimidation, with a growing number of suburban Chicago parents and conservatives alleging they have been targeted through his use of social media accounts, fake identities and coordinated smear campaigns.

An individual who spoke with Will County Gazette on the condition of anonymity due to safety concerns claims that Anzelc has been targeting them and others with false accusations and personal attacks.

Anzelc wearing an Antifa shirt. | Terry Newsome

“The dude has no audience or anything like that but you know a lot of people are online are like that,” the source said. “But this dude's got mental and anger and substance issues on top of it, so I give it a little more weight than I normally would." 

The allegations suggest that Anzelc has been using multiple social media accounts to spread damaging information and continue the harassment of conservative activists.

"So, and then, you know, like I said, he's posting me, he's got three or four different Twitter accounts, and he keeps posting pictures,” the source said.  

The source added that efforts to report the posts have had limited success. 

"We keep reporting the posts, and a lot of, I think about 14 or 15 of them have gotten taken down," the source said. 

Anzelc’s threatening behavior in the past has led to repeated police reports, orders of protection from his own family, involuntary commitments and the surrender of his firearms. 

In May 2023, Anzelc’s mother contacted the office of State Rep. Harry Benton (D-Plainfield), expressing deep worry about her son’s mental state. 

“She thinks her son may end up involved in some type of mass incident because she can’t get him evaluated,” Benton’s office reported. 

Her concerns were echoed by the anonymous source who described Anzelc’s behavior as “erratic and potentially dangerous.”

Anzelc’s family has taken legal steps to protect themselves. In December 2023, his father filed for an order of protection, citing a series of alarming incidents. 

“I am requesting an order of protection against David because of our safety. He was in my face, yelling and screaming saying he wishes I was dead. He broke two 40-year-old ceramic Christmas decorations,” the order request reads. 

The filing detailed further concerning behavior. 

“He went into my wife’s phone today and saw some texts from one of his past coworkers from July of 2023,” the request reads. “He has bitten me and he tried to commit suicide. This past August, he started some therapy. We are requesting family counseling and we think he would agree to it if it was court ordered. Since 2021, he has over 5 DUI offenses.”

Anzelc’s mother followed up with police three times to ensure the order was served and requested an escort to her residence during the process, underscoring the family’s fear. 

Around the same time, Anzelc was reported missing from a treatment program at Linden Oaks Behavioral Health in Mokena.

Police reports from March 2023 highlight the ongoing strain within the family. Anzelc was reportedly squatting in his parents’ home, exhibiting threatening behavior. 

“Concerns regarding 34 (year old) son’s mental health. He is currently squatting in (parents’) home. Very threatening. (Parent) worried if they have a psych eval done, and he is not involuntarily committed, what will happen to her and others in home,” the report reads. 

The report also included Anzelc's “(History) of suicidal thoughts by jumping off a building.”  

“Any time they threaten to remove him from the res, he threatens suicide. He’s taken over their life and home and (parent) doesn’t know what to do. Concerned for his safety and their own.”

The report also referenced a “severe incident” from November 2021, noting that Anzelc’s behavior had been “rollercoastering” since then. 

A subsequent incident prompted a doctor to advise the family to contact police, though the therapist refused to share detailed information with family due to HIPAA regulations.

In 2021, Anzelc was forced to surrender his firearms due to the risks associated with his actions, and in April 2025, Plainfield Police sought another order to ensure he relinquished any additional weapons, reflecting ongoing concerns about his potential for harm.

In August 2021, Shorewood Police arrested Anzelc during a traffic stop on Black Road.

He was charged by the Will County State's Attorney’s Office with unlawful use of a switchblade knife, unlawful possession of over 30 grams of marijuana and possession of cannabis in an unsealed container while driving.

He spent two days in the Will County Jail following the arrest.

Still, individuals are saying they continue to be targeted online by Anzelc—through harassment they believe goes far beyond typical internet trolling.

"You know, people make fun of me online. I don’t give two shits and I make fun of them back, blah, blah blah,” the anonymous source said. "But [a police investigator] sent me my copies of the police reports that I got where he Googled my address like 32 times. He's constantly posting this shit. And what he posted is just fu**** up."

Darien-based parent activist and DuPage County precinct committeeman Terry Newsome is among those being targeted by Anzelc. 

He described a campaign of harassment that began years ago and has recently intensified.

“This guy’s been following me probably from the beginning, right? This harassment, doxxing of parents from Antifa from four years ago,” Newsome said. “The detective was able, thank God, to tie that fu**** to all these things and what he’s been doing.”

Anzelc's alleged harassment has extended to additional conservative parent advocates like Emily Cahill and Shannon Adcock — all of whom have been involved in parental rights activism, including school board challenges.

Newsome said Anzelc allegedly impersonated Cahill by creating fake social media accounts in her name and distributed flyers claiming she was a "meth head." The flyers were placed around her daughter’s grammar school with swastikas drawn on them. 

“This is absolutely 100% a coordinated effort with the Democrats,” Newsome said. “They come and try to discredit us through the Southern Poverty Law Center, falsely labeling us Nazis.” 

Both Newsome and the anonymous source have expressed concern over Anzelc's affiliations with other known Anitfa associates such as Jeff Tischauser, a leftist activist who works for the Southern Poverty Law Center. 

"I think there's a definite connection,” the anonymous source said. “How big? I don't completely know, but Tischauser, I'm sure he knows David. I'm certain they talk probably on a regular basis."

The emergency order of protection does not go into effect until Anzelc is officially served. Efforts have been underway to serve Anzelc at addresses in Joliet and Chenoa.

The anonymous source expressed frustration with the lack of response from some local authorities in the case. 

“Cook County don’t give a shi*,” the anonymous source said. "They don’t even process gang members having a gunfight in the street—so when a suburban white woman gets a threatening phone call in Lemont, they sure don't give a shi*.”