A Collaborative Slide Deck

On Extremist Violence as Propaganda

COM416 | Fall 2020 | Professor Renee Hobbs

INSTRUCTIONS

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ACTIVITY. Find and read or view a news story about vigilante groups and/or extremist violence in the United States or around the world.

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Step 1. Review the work of other students before you begin your own work. You may not duplicate a news story that’s already in the slide deck.

Step 2. Find a recent news story about vigilante groups and/or extremist violence as a form of propaganda.

Step 3. Summarize key ideas from the news story on a slide in this slide deck.

Step 4. Use complete citation format to identity your information source.

Men of Purpose?

Oath Keepers is one of numerous vigilante groups that have flocked to cities where killings of innocent Black people by the police have led to protests where property damage and violence can occur.

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These people travel with long guns and protective gear to stand in plain view of demonstrators. Sometimes they stand around where protesters are peacefully protesting. What worries me: Police officers generally ignore them.

CITATION: Klemko, (2020, October 5). Men seek ‘purpose’ in protecting property despite charges of racism. Washington Post.

• Some believe the people protesting police brutality have a legitimate concern
• Some see small-business owners victimized by rioting and looting
• Some believe in false conspiracy theories that the Black Lives Matter are paid protesters.

Amy Simoes: Vigilante “Cow Protection Groups” of India Attack people in Cattle Trade

• The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has established a violent vigilante campaign against consumption of beef and people involved in the cattle trade.
• Many hindus recognize cows as a scared animal and many Indian states ban the slaughter of cows.
• In recent years several BJP ruled states have emplaced stricter laws and regulations that harm minority communities.
• As of February 2019, the government announced a national commission for cow protection
• Such regulations and attacks against the cattle industry has disrupted cattle trade in India affecting the agricultural economy along with leather and meat export industries.
• The attacks linked to the BJP mainly target Muslim, Dalit, or Adivasi communites.
• Why this propaganda is violent and should worry people: in almost all reported cases of attacks police stall investigations, ignore typical procedures and are even complicit within killings and cover-ups of the crimes.

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Citation: “India: Vigilante 'Cow Protection' Groups Attack Minorities.” Human Rights Watch, 28 Oct. 2020, www.hrw.org/news/2019/02/19/india-vigilante-cow-protection-groups-attack-minorities.

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Oregon Legal Groups Say Armed Militia Intimidated Lane County Voters at the Ballot Box

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"The voter was concerned for his safety and, rather than proceeding to the drop box, instead left without depositing his ballot.”

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• Armed militia groups turned away citizens when they were trying to submit their ballot. Many citizens were unable to vote.
• Voters were afraid for their safety so they left instead of dropping off their ballot in the ballot box
• Voter intimidation is illegal in Oregon
• Voters expressed their concern by calling voting hotlines
• The police in Oregon acknowledged reports about these groups hovering over this “checkpoint” where the ballot boxes were, but declined to give any more information
• “Rosenblum said she has been made aware of the incident in Lane County, and that it appears a political group was granted a permit for a political rally in a park where a ballot box is situated. Rosenblum wrote that local officials were present at the event, and that they claimed to be specifically focused on ensuring that access to the ballot drop box remained open."

https://www.wweek.com/news/state/2020/11/02/oregon-legal-groups-say-armed-militia-groups-intimidated-lane-county-voters-at-the-ballot-box/

Shortell, David, et al. Vigilante Group Activity on the Rise, Worrying Law Enforcement and Watchdog Groups. 30 Aug. 2020, www.cnn.com/2020/08/30/politics/vigilante-group-activity-kenosha/index.html.

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Kenosha Guard

• Kenosha guard is a militia group that formed in Wisconsin due to the massive demonstrations against police brutality that was growing across the country after the killing of George Floyd.
• Began on Facebook and membership to the group skyrocketed after a Kenosha police officer killed Jacob Blake.
• They called people to arms and it drew in thousands of responses causing the death of two men and seriously injuring another.
• During some of the protests armed citizens were welcomed by the law enforcement and at early protests in Kenosha at police were seen giving apparent militia members water and thanking them.

Stevie-Rae Wood

Alex Gomes

Las Vegas Police Warn Community Of 'vigilante Behavior' Spike in Online Child Predator Cases

Byron Teach - https://www.fox5vegas.com/news/las-vegas-police-warn-community-of-vigilante-behavior-spike-in-online-child-predator-cases/article_4e14795e-14b5-11eb-8f52-7fe86c47f678.html

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People are taking child predator cases into their own hands in LA. This involves luring predators to their houses with promises of sexual intercourse with minors. Instead, they are met Chris Hanson style and recorded, to be exposed on the internet. Local police are discouraging this behavior, saying to leave the jobs to them, however the people catching predators are still active, claiming the police aren’t doing enough to stop these monsters before they can act.

France Knife Attack

By, Brian Hochmuth

Key Ideas:

• President Macron said it was an “Islamist terrorist attack”
• Three people died
• This is the third terrorist attack France has suffered in just over a month.
• President Macron increased the number of deployed soldiers protecting public places from 3,000 to 7,000
• France has raised its national security alert to the highest level.
• This was a clear message to the French people and to the French government

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Williamson , Lucy. “Nice Attack: Grief and Anger in France after Church Stabbings,” October 30, 2020. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54745251.

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The Right-Wing Violence Trump Has Encouraged Has Deep Roots in American History

By: Maddie Lesko

• Trump supporters have been very hypocritical:
• Push law and order when encouraging vigilante groups i.e. Proud Boys
• Exploit gangs when appealing to patriotic militias.
• Attacked BLM protestors but then defied mask mandates.
• Protested against BLM; got violent and threw punches.
• Also waved guns to evoke fear
• Armed men in pickup truck followed protestors
• “From the late 1860s to World War I, those waving the banner of ‘law and order’ were often, though not always, motivated by a desire to maintain white supremacy.”

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This is worrisome as it seems like these groups only know violence and will use it hypocritically

Armed Right-Wing Groups Aren’t ‘Militias’—We Need to Stop Calling Them That

This article by Richard Stengel of times and MSNBC news focuses on the idea that right wing groups should not be called malicious “because there is no such thing as a legal private paramilitary militia.” As discussed, all 50 states prohibit private militias dating back to the militia act of 1903 1920 and 1933. so why does the media keep using the word militia when these groups are deemed to be illegal. the author believes that a these groups should be called, gangs, extremist groups, criminals and even domestic terrorists. Later in the article the author discussions the interpretation of the 2nd amendment where the term a well-guarded militia means that it is regulated by the states.

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Stengel, R. (2020, October 30). We Need to Stop Calling Armed Rightwing Groups 'Militias'. Retrieved November 07, 2020, from https://time.com/5905374/armed-rightwing-groups-are-not-militia/

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Douglas Whitham

Antifa is NOT a Group By: Jeff Santos

• Antifa, often falsely reported on as a group, is a term short for Anti-faascits. There is no group in the sense that there is individual membership, rather if you identify as an anti-fascists than you are antifa.

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This article offers testimonial from both sides of the incident, making a clear distinction that one side was alt-right group the Proud Boys and the other were identified as Antifa members.

The events of this article took place in Kalamazoo, Mi. According to tot the article, a demonstration was organized by the Proud Boys and an incident ensued once “Antifa members” arrived in demonstration of counterprotest.

Citation: Sherriff (2020, Aug, 15) Left Vs. Right: Shocking moment right-wing Proud Boys group and Antifa protesters brawl during ugly clash in Michigan

Right-wing extremists demonstrate against counting of votes

Catherine Morris

It all started with Trump claiming election fraud, followed by some of his supporters gathering outside polling stations in several states.

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Demonstrators began to assemble, demanding that the counting of votes, particularly postal votes, stop.

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Threats of violence became prominent in multiple states, including Arizona, Virginia, Nevada, and Wisconsin. Members of multiple extremist groups, including the “Bungaloo boys,” were present and armed, some of whom were later arrested and their weapons seized.

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Their stance was that the election had been rigged and that mail-in votes, many of which were for Biden, were not valid.

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Time24.news. (2020, November 06). Right-wing extremists demonstrate against counting of votes – NRK Urix –... Retrieved from https://alkhaleejtoday.co/international/5295700/Right-wing-extremists-demonstrate-against-counting-of-votes-–-NRK-Urix-–.html

TRUMP SUPPORTERS CROSS STATE LINES TO “SET THINGS STRAIGHT” WITH VOTE COUNTING IN PHILLY

• THIS COMES AFTER TRUMP WOULD DENOUNCE Q-ANON & CALLED FOR THE PROUD BOYS TO “STAND BY”
• HOUSE MINORITY LEADER KEVIN MACCARTHY URGED SUPPORTERS THAT “President Trump won this election. So everyone who is listening, do not be quiet, do not be silent about this.”
• PER WSJS, PRO-TRUMP DEMONSTRATORS ALSO GATHERED AT ELECTION SITES IN PHILLY, DETROIT, LAS VEGAS, ATLANTA, AND PHOENIX.

In India there was two men who viciously attacked and later murdered by a vigilante group.

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This group has used communal rhetoric that has lead to the, “violent vigilante campaign against beef consumption and those deemed linked to it”.

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These groups have dedicated themselves to protect the cows and other animals and taken it upon themselves to murder and attack the people that have cows.

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Isabella Troppoli

https://www.hrw.org/report/2019/02/18/violent-cow-protection-india/vigilante-groups-attack-minorities

Kayla Sanderson

MOVE is a black militant anarcho-primitivist group lead by John Africa. They are active in Philadelphia and there ideology circles around black liberation, animal rights, anarcho- primitivism, and environmentalism.

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MOVE is well known for their attack on Philadelphia Police Department in 1978 killing one police office and injuring 16 more.

MOVE is still attack today.

Terrorist Attacks and Related Incidents in the United States, www.johnstonsarchive.net/terrorism/wrjp255a.html.

Orso, Anna. “MOVE 101: Why, 35 Years Ago, Philadelphia Dropped a Bomb on Itself.” Billy Penn, Billy Penn, 7 July 2020, billypenn.com/2020/05/11/move-101-why-30-years-ago-philadelphia-dropped-a-bomb-on-itself/.

“The Trump administration puts the country at risk for potential violence from a range of White extremist groups who thrive on racism, bigotry, White nationalism, and vigilante violence,”

- Henry Giroux, chair for Scholarship in the Public Interest in the English and cultural studies department at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada

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Lisa Deaderick Oct. 18, 2. (2020, October 18). Homeland Security points to violent White supremacy as 'persistent and lethal threat'. Retrieved November 08, 2020, from https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/columnists/story/2020-10-18/homeland-security-points-to-violent-white-supremacy-as-persistent-and-lethal-threat

Nick Robinson

• Giroux mentions in the article how this mentality began from the long history of the United States of systematic racism.
• Grioux aslo mentions that Trump’s racist views while being the most powerful politician in the world has openly supported White nationalist and racist views
• Simi says in many ways the 20th century can be seen as a series of White Supremacist violence.
• Grioux says that White Supremacist is most dangerous when supported by those in powerful positions

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“Too often, we see White supremacist terror attacks, especially when the attack is committed by a lone actor, as isolated events disconnected from any kind of larger cause,”

-Pete Simi, professor of sociology and criminology at Chapman University in Orange, Calif

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Downtown Portland businesses targeted by self-described Antifa group in Wednesday night riot

By Mason Belcher

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• A group that identifies themselves as ANTIFA, smashed and vandalized many small businesses in the downtown Portland, OR area, seperate from a peaceful protesting group
• The group vandalized many businesses, including a Church that serves as shelter and food for many of the homeless in that area
• People that identify themselves as part of this ANTIFA group have been known to participate in many of these protests and incite violence in major and smaller cities, and often communicate and exchange information online, in the name of many different social issues that the United States are currently facing

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Kelly, Brenna. “Downtown Portland Businesses Targeted by Self-Described Antifa Group in Wednesday Night Riot.” KPTV.com, 5 Nov. 2020, www.kptv.com/news/downtown-portland-businesses-targeted-by-self-described-antifa-group-in-wednesday-night-riot/article_6bda4df6-1fd2-11eb-947f-afe7c5354a08.html.

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Works Cited:

Keneally, Meghan. “What to Know about the Violent Charlottesville Protests and Anniversary Rallies.” ABC News, ABC News Network, 2017, abcnews.go.com/US/happen-charlottesville-protest-anniversary-weekend/story?id=57107500.

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Unite the Right Rally in Charlestown leads to violence.

Anthony Demedeiros

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On August 12th, 2017 a Unite the Right Rally was organized by far-right groups, neo-nazis, and white nationalists in protest of the removal of the locally famous Robert E. Lee statue. This rally was met with left leaning counter-protestors which quickly devolved into violence. Members of the rally came armed with semi-automatic rifles, as well as torches. The formal rally began at 12 p.m. with with the peak violence coming at 1:42 p.m. when a man drive his car into a group of counter protestors killing one women and leaving 19 others injured. Overwhelming tension led to the Governor of Virginia to declare a state of emergency.

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The riots led to nationwide outrage as well as a rather infamous quote from President Trump. When asked about the protests and the violence that occurred the President said “I think there is blame on both sides. You look at both sides. I think there is blame on both sides," adding "You had some very bad people in that group. You also had some very fine people on both sides,"

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“How FBI says Michigan gov kidnapping plot went from texts, small gatherings to raid”

Kapetaneas, J., Giardino, N., Fasano, S., Muldofsky, M., & Yang, A. (2020, October 20). How FBI says Michigan gov kidnapping plot went from texts, small gatherings, to raid. Retrieved 2020, from https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/fbi-michigan-gov-kidnapping-plot-texts-small-gatherings/story?id=73698990

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Right-wing groups such as “Michigan United for Liberty” and the “Wolverine Watchmen” have been protesting against Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer since March 2020, when she enacted some of the nation’s harshest stay-at-home regulations to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Gov. Whitmer recalls “People remember those pictures… where people with weapons were showing up and intimidating legislators and threatening me at that point,” she said. “Now, we have come to find that some other members of this plot were actually at that event. And I think that that kind of tells you how the rhetoric really can have horrible, disastrous, dangerous consequences for others.”

Michigan has a female governor, attorney general, and secretary of state, all of whom President Trump has criticized on social media. It is my belief that by President Trump condemning the governor and team for their hard work, it has made Michigan Republicans believe it is ok for them to condemn their government officials too. And some took it to the extreme of wanting to take action for themselves and harm their elected officials.

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Maren Drake

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Gavin Richard

Vigilantes, mob justice grow as violence mounts in Mexico

• In Mexico there were vigilante killings that had to do with the victims being people that stole cars from people at gunpoint.
• The commissioner is against these acts of vigilantism calling them “Barbaric”.
• The vigilantes are growing in Mexico because their normal justice system is not stopping the growing mobs and gangs in Mexico.

Hate Groups Recruiting Through Video Games

Frankie Watson

• Though the groups are not specified, this article is targeted towards parent with young white male children, who discuss politics and other things online with their friends through video games.
• Recruiters use these chat rooms and other gaming groups to discuss and spread hateful values and ideas.
• The article suggests talking about bias with children and exposing children to contact with people not like them.

How Hate Groups Recruit New, Young Members Through Video Games. (n.d.). Retrieved November 08, 2020, from https://hartfordhealthcare.org/about-us/news-press/news-detail?articleid=29454

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Elizabeth Radka

2 men arrested near Philadelphia vote center had QAnon paraphernalia, AR-15 in car

“On his Facebook page, which was removed by early Friday morning, Lamotta posted about QAnon ‘as a positive military operation’ and suggested a judgement day was fast-approaching. On Twitter, Lamotta posted signed drawings of cartoons that included anti-Semitic tropes and depicted Trump as a machine-gun carrying hero.”

Winter, Tom, et al. “2 Men Detained after Police Learn of Possible Threat to Philadelphia Vote Counting Center.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 6 Nov. 2020, www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/2-men-detained-after-police-learn-possible-threat-philadelphia-vote-n1246774.

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1. On Thursday, November 5th, two men drove from Chesapeake, VA to Philadelphia Convention Center where votes for the 2020 presidential election were being tallied.
2. The two men parked their Hummer SUV near the convention center where it was discovered to have QAnon stickers as well as multiple firearms, including an AK-15 with 160 rounds of ammunition.
3. The men did not have valid Pennsylvania firearms licenses and will be charged with firearms offenses as well as possible election law violations
4. Though neither men has thus far been tied to an official group, they have been linked via social media to the "Stop the Steal" campaign, a group which was banned from Facebook due to repeated calls for violence.

This story illustrates how quickly conspiracy theory and anti-semitic propaganda can lead to vigilante violence. In this case, disaster was narrowly averted.

Alleged Proud Boys Leader Declares ‘Standby Order Has Been Rescinded’ While Some Trump Supporters Protest

Brianna Deenihan

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• With Trump supporters claiming the election was rigged, protests have continued with threats of violence from militia groups
• Trump told Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by” during a debate
• Now, Chairman of Proud Boys tweeted after the election, “We’re rolling out. Standby order has been rescinded.”
• Armed participants continue to protest
• FBI has warned groups like Proud Boys are the biggest threat of “lethal violence” right now

Reimann, Nicholas. “Alleged Proud Boys Leader Declares 'Standby Order Has Been Rescinded' While Some Trump Supporters Protest.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 8 Nov. 2020, www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2020/11/07/alleged-proud-boys-leader-declares-standby-order-has-been-rescinded-while-some-trump-supporters-protest/?sh=bf559f1179a1.

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CSPD responds to armed group in University Village

Juliana Caserta

• UADF, otherwise known as United American Defense Force, is a group of vigilantes organized by former Marine and Benghazi survivor John Tiegen, as a part of the coservative activist group FEC United.
• This group was seen moving tactical gear by armed men in a Lowe’s parking lot. They weren’t breaking any laws, however, this did shine light on a greater issue.
• This group believes they are needed to protect communities from violence. This raises the question though, are they above the law? They aren’t but they are armed and ready to fight.
• This article pointed out the UADF website states,“Police departments around the country are being defunded and disbanded. Officers are being disarmed and deprived of ability to use force. Without adequate police protection, urban and suburban centers are left exposed to anarchists and are left vulnerable to attack and seizure.”

• On the evening of November 4 during a protest in Denver, UADF and Tiegen were spotted although they did not engage with the 100 protesters there.

Citation :

Beedle, Heidi. “CSPD responds to armed group in University Village.” Csindy. 5 Nov. 2020. https://www.csindy.com/news/local/cspd-responds-to-armed-group-in-university-village/article_af95d6a2-1f99-11eb-a9de-0f9f67143e7f.html

Experts warn that extremist groups are harboring 'violent fantasies' about the election

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Key points:

-extremist groups may station themselves in polling locations

-may mobilize into a civil war

-they believe that the only reason Trump will lose the election if it was stolen from him

-enforced security at polling location because of these hypothetical threats

-created hotline in case of suspicious activity at polls

-also worries of BLM movement and Antifa mobilizing violence if Trump gets reelected.

Vigilante Groups in Mexico Are Enforcing Lockdown to Stop Coronavirus

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VICE News, director. Https://Www.youtube.com/Watch?v=qjaBQigAzy0&ab_channel=VICENews. Vigilante Groups in Mexico Are Enforcing Lockdown to Stop Coronavirus, 23 July 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjaBQigAzy0&ab_channel=VICENews.

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• Unions of Peoples and Organizations Guerrero militia emerged in a response to violence
• Goal was to fill the gap left by a corrupt government
• Initially designed to fight crime ------> prevent coronavirus
• Enforced restrictions
• Enforced checkpoints
• Limited activities

Vigilante Group Activity On The Rise : Max Coffin

• Kevin Mathewson founded his militia, the Kenosha Guard, in June, as massive demonstrations against police brutality grew across the country, bringing with them spurts of violence.
• For weeks, the group's charge to defend the community reached only a few dozen followers online and mustered no real-world activity. Then on Sunday, a Kenosha police officer shot Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, seven times in the back and the epicenter of the summer's reckoning over racial injustice shifted to Mathewson's backyard.
• The groups are fueling concern among law enforcement and hate group watchers that they could be the cause of more violence. Legal experts are also warning that the militias, with their embrace of high-powered weapons and lack of police training, are on shaky constitutional ground.

Source: Shortell, D., Carrega, C., & Campbell, J. (2020, August 30). Vigilante group activity on the rise, worrying law enforcement and watchdog groups. Retrieved November 09, 2020, from https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/30/politics/vigilante-group-activity-kenosha/index.html

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Armed vigilantes, stoked by team Trump, threaten us all

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• Jacob Blake Jr., who is black, was shot in the back seven times by a Kenosha, Wisconsin, policeman in front of his three children
• Two days after the shooting, Kyle Rittenhouse a 17-year-old Trump supporter traveled from Illinois to the Kenosha Black Lives Matter protest and shot two unarmed demonstrators.
• According to witnesses, after he shot them he walked away with his rifle over his shoulder and his hands up to surrender when the police drove by. This is a perfect example of a violent act of vigilante violence.
• Trump supporters are willing to travel wherever, armed and show up at a Black Lives Matter just to kill innocent people. What is the point of that. That is extremely concerning.
• He said he had to “maintain order” “because no one else would”
• Rittenhouse was reportly charged with six crimes on Thursday, including first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide, two counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, attempted first-degree intentional homicide and possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18.

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Key Points:

By: Carolyn Salvatelli

Citation: Drake, Kerry, et al. “Armed Vigilantes, Stoked by Team Trump, Threaten Us All.” WyoFile, 31 Aug. 2020, www.wyofile.com/armed-vigilantes-stoked-by-team-trump-threaten-us-all/.

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Pro-Trump election Facebook group 'Stop the Steal' banned after calling for violence

KEY POINTS

• “Stop the steal” facebook group had following of 35,000 members who rallied together when Biden started to claim the lead of the 2020 presidential election.
• The group was determined to prove that fraud had taken place after Trump started to lose the election to the overwhelming amount of mail-in ballots for Biden.
• The facebook group began to rally and evoke thoughts of possible violence
• Members of the group reported finding to the police in worry that the words would become actions if officials did not get involved.
• The group was calling for a second “Civil War”
• The group has since been shut down

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MADDY MCCARTHY

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Rambaran, V. (2020, November 07). Pro-Trump election Facebook group 'Stop the Steal'

banned after calling for violence. Retrieved from https://www.foxnews.com/politics/pro-trump-election-facebook-group-stop-the-steal-banned-after-calling-for-violence

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How an overload of riot porn is driving conflicts in the streets

KEY POINTS

• Right-wing media makers shared videos of violent altercations at protests in cities such as New York, Boston Philadelphia and other states. Only sharing bias videos of rioting and violence, this videos then encouraging vigilante groups to take arms against BLM and “antifa” protesters.
• The media is bias when it comes to covering protest, they only focus on the violence because, violence sells but talking about peaceful protesting does not.
• Riot porn is when someone shows up to a peaceful protest or any protest with the intentions of potentially participating in a violent altercation.
• It enrages and traumatizes audience from afar, watchers actively cheer as cops and other aggressors brutalize activists protesting.
• As the event of George Floyd was showed, so was the rise of white vigilante violence, several cities have been attacked by militias, MAGA groups and conspiracist raining terror on BLM protesters

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Source: Donovan, J. (2020, October 03). How an overload of riot porn is driving conflict in the streets. Retrieved November 08, 2020, from https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/09/03/1007931/riot-porn-right-wing-vigilante-propaganda-social-media/

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Tolu Ademola