Intelligence Dispatch: White Supremacist Propaganda Spreads from Virginia to Oregon
Intelligence Dispatch: White Supremacist Propaganda Spreads from Virginia to Oregon
White supremacists propaganda associated with the Patriot Front, a Texas-based white supremacist group, has been identified in by social media users in locations across the United States.
This week on Radical Reports: White supremacists propaganda associated with the Patriot Front, a Texas-based white supremacist group, has been identified in by social media users in locations across the United States—from Williamsburg, Virginia to Portland, Oregon.
What to expect from Radical Reports: Weekly Intelligence Dispatches provide a briefing on the activities of the Radical Right; Extremist Links provides a round-up of extremists activities including the white supremacist and militia movements; Field Notes provides research and analysis the strategies and tactics of the Radical Right, Legislation Watch that provides a breakdown of key legislative priorities of the Radical Right, and the Research Desk that highlights research and analysis from academia of the Radical Right.
Radical Right in the Spotlight
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin, which stated that “racially- or ethnically-motivated violent extremists (RMVEs) and anti-government/anti-authority violent extremists will remain a national threat priority for the United States.”
Must Reads
The Proud Boys, the right-wing extremists gang, has been involved in several violent incidents in recent weeks—even as many of the group’s members have been arrested and charged in connection with the January 6th Insurrection. Kelly Weill reports that the “right-wing group’s return to the streets, after a brief lull in post-Jan. 6 scuffles, is a warning for the rest of the country.” [The Daily Beast]
David Gilbert reports that “Women for America First, a rebranded relic of the Tea Party movement of the late-2000s, has emerged as one of the leading groups hyping baseless election fraud conspiracies.” [Vice]
A report from Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD), examined how online gaming platforms have fueled right-wing extremism. Will Bedingfield reports that while “little evidence was found of active recruitment,” the research found that the “average age was 15, with young people asking to learn more about certain neo-Nazi groups that The far right are running riot on Steam and Discord.” [Wired]
Joe Lowndes writes how the Radical Right has weaponized America’s founding myths, and “this new movement took the Tea Party’s insurrectionary dress-up and replaced it with the threat of real violence.” [The New Republic]
Intelligence Dispatches
Surge in COVID-19 and Conspiracy Theories: Oregon Democratic Gov. Kate Brown’s decision to deploy the state’s National Guard to support the state’s struggling hospitals amid a surge in COVID-19, has resulted in an surge in conspiracy theories about the governor’s motivation on social media.
Patriot Front Propaganda: Patriot Front, the Texas-based white supremacist group that has classified by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) as a white nationalist hate group, is known for organizing flash mobs and a campaign of guerilla advertising propaganda.
Patriot Front propaganda stickers in recent months were found in “various public areas” in the towns Hudson and Germantown in Columbia County, New York, according to reporting by local media. During the past year, Patriot Front has been involved in from a banner drop in Boise, Idaho to the defacement of a mural honoring George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery. Patriot Front was responsible for approximately 80% of all white supremacist propaganda distributed in the United States during 2020, according to a report published by the Anti-Defamation League.
In recent months, Patriot Front propaganda has been identified by users on social media throughout the country including allegedly on the campus of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia; Albany, New York; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Raleigh, North Carolina; Columbus, Georgia; West Lafayette, Indiana; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Salt Lake City, Utah; North Plains , Oregon; Portland, Oregon; and Frisco, Texas.
While most of the social media users who have identified white supremacist propaganda associated with Patriot Front are community members, local journalists, or activists and organizers, some of the propaganda is being promoted by social media accounts affiliated with the group or that primarily traffic in white supremacists propaganda—these social media accounts often troll users who identify white supremacist propaganda associated with Patriot Front.
Events on the Right
Care Net, an anti-abortion network of so-called crisis pregnancy centers (CPC), is hosting the organization’s annual conference in San Antonio, Texas from August 23-26. (Price Tag: $299 - $644)
Conference Sponsors Include: And Then There Were None, Choose Life Marketing, and The Vitae Foundation
The Family Research Council, a fundamentalist Christian advocacy organization, is hosting the Stand Courageous Men's Conference in Lynchburg, Virginia on the campus of Liberty University on August 28. (Price Tag: $60)
Featured Speakers Include: Pastor Jonathan Falwell, senior pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church and son of conservative Christian evangelist Jerry Falwell; Bishop Larry Jackson, regional bishop of Fellowship of International Churches, Jerry Prevo, president of Liberty University and CEO and Chairman of Christian Broadcasting, Inc
Bards Fest, an event that appears to be organized by QAnon conspiracy theorist Scott Kesterson, is described as an event that “will bring together God-fearing, Christ-loving Patriots from all over the United States and the World to celebrate HIS glory, HIS might, and HIS love. Bards Fest is an assembly of Patriots coming together to pray with truth, to inspire action through knowledge and resources, to celebrate fellowship and family, and above all to celebrate the word of GOD.” The event is taking place at The Family Arena in St. Charles, Missouri from August 26-29. (Price Tag: $40-$100)
The 1st Amendment Praetorian, a right-wing militia and self-styled private intelligence firm that offers protection for “Americans being attacked for expressing their political beliefs,” will be participating in the event.
Subscribers have access the Events on the Right Google Calendar.
Coming Up on Radical Reports…
Power, Control, and Fear: What’s behind the right-wing backlash to everything from vaccines and face masks to critical race theory and immigrants and refugees.
Extremists Links: Round-up of extremists activities including the white supremacist and the militia movements. (Subscribers Only)