Morning Briefing: Former Leader Testifies Proud Boys Had 'No Objectives' on January 6th
A former leader of the Philadelphia chapter of the Proud Boys, claimed on the witness stand that during the January 6th Insurrection the far right street gang had “no objectives.'
Morning Briefing: Zachary Rehl, a former leader of the Philadelphia chapter of the Proud Boys, claimed on the witness stand that the far right street gang had “no objectives” during the January 6th Insurrection: “We were just going to walk around the city. I said over and over again, I want the legal process to play out. That’s the process our country was founded on.”
Rockne Earles was “arrested this week on felony charges, including assaulting a law enforcement officer, for his alleged actions” during the January 6th Insurrection. Daniel Adams, who was previously arrested and charged for allegations related to the Capitol Riot, will reportedly “waive his right to a jury trial.”
Anthony Hammer, who previously plead guilty to sending a threatening message to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), “was sentenced to two years in federal prison.” Hammer’s messages included White Supremacist ideology such as “kill all of you Zionist pigs” and the “4th reich soon.”
J.R. Majewski, the failed Congressional candidate and QAnon adherent who made false statements about military service in Afghanistan, post a statement on Twitter that he is “formally announcing my Congressional Campaign.”
Rumble the far right YouTube clone will “will be exclusively livestreaming the GOP’s first presidential primary debate in 2024.”
Extremists Activities: Patriot Front and White Lives Matter propaganda was reported in Alliance, Ohio; Patriot Front propaganda was reported on the campus of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.
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Mack Lamoureux and Sam Eagan report that there is a “growing network of neo-Nazi men’s groups operating under the guise of fitness or martial arts that have become one of the most important recruitment tools for white nationalists in the United States. Euphemistically referred to by their members as ‘active clubs,’ the network now has at least 30 groups in 17 states and 60 Telegram channels. To appeal to disaffected, young, white men, these groups tone down their overt racism and sexism, at least initially, in favor of messages of self-improvement and brotherhood. Rundo, who dreamed up the idea, refers to the clubs as part of ‘white nationalism 3.0’—a class of cleaner-cut neo-Nazis with a more palatable image, as opposed to the skinheads of the ‘80s and other, more recent terrorist groups.” [Vice News]
Chauncey DeVega writes that “political scientists, social psychologists, and other researchers have repeatedly shown that Trump's followers are deeply attracted to his lawbreaking and general contempt for democracy and social norms because they see such antisocial behavior as an example of a ‘strong leader’ who ‘will fight for people like them.’ This is a defining feature of the conservative-authoritarian political personality type. As we have seen throughout modern history (and before) fascism and other forms of illiberal politics corrupt the ethics and morals of the people who are attracted to such political projects; sick leaders attract sick followers; sick societies produce sick leaders and sick movements. Since his arrest and indictment in Manhattan, Trump has escalated his threats and incitements to destruction, terrorism, civil war, white supremacy, antisemitism, paranoid delusions, and other evil.” [Salon]
Will Sommer reports that “members of the far right sovereign citizen movement are best known for their clashes with law enforcement. In traffic stops and courtrooms across the country, sovereign citizens have tried—and failed—to implement their bizarre homemade legal theories when faced with the enforcement of legitimate laws. But now two prominent branches of the movement have turned on one another, feuding over a lucrative scheme to sell fake license plates for a nonexistent ‘Republic of Texas.’ The feud pits the citizens of a fictitious entity called the ‘Republic of Texas’ against David Straight, a so-called sovereign-citizen ‘guru’ whose seminars on his legal theories have raked in big money across the country. [The Daily Beast]
What to expect from Radical Reports: Morning Briefing provides a daily round-up of reporting on the Radical Right; Extremist Links offers a weekly round-up of extremists activities including the white supremacist and militia movements; Narratives of the Right delivers weekly analysis of the current narratives in far right online spaces and promoted by right-wing media; and Research Desk provides monthly highlights research and analysis from academia on the Radical Right.
Mr. Rehl needs to be careful. “God will get him for lying!” He knows good and well that ‘The Proud Boy’s’ had an agenda on January 6, 2021. They were following orders from TFG, and went to the Capital that day with the sole intention of taking democracy away from American citizens. They had their instructions to go there and “fight like hell”, as so stated by TFG in his power-up speech just before they stormed the Capital.
Mr. Rehl needs to remember, it was all televised live, as it happened, on worldwide television. He, his organization, and all the other “sheep” of TFG have caused one of the biggest embarrassments to this nation in history.