For the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys, Jan. 6 was just the start
ours after the angry mob of pro-Trump rioters ransacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, a small contingent of men regrouped three blocks away at a nearby hotel. Members of the far-right paramilitary group known as the Oath Keepers, the men gathered in a private suite at the Phoenix Hotel in downtown D.C. and listened as their leader, Stewart Rhodes, dialed someone on speaker phone and said that President Donald Trump should call on the Oath Keepers to “forcibly oppose the transfer of power.
Just how far extremists will go as political tensions mount has law enforcement worried. With political violence on the rise, the Department of Homeland Security warned in a recent terror alert that domestic extremists seek to seize on the upcoming midterm elections.
Defense attorney Nayib Hassan says in court filings that his client Tarrio never told anyone to enter the Capitol or to engage in any violence on Jan. 6. A garage meeting between Tarrio and Rhodes that was filmed by Quested was more or less meaningless, Hassan says. Oath Keeper defendants have argued in court that they only ever intended to provide security at the rally.
The shift has tested the ability of the groups to adapt. “De-platforming, off of major tech platforms, largely worked,” Neumann says. “The older generation—which made up a larger portion of the Jan. 6 crowd than traditional violent extremist movements do—have difficulty working on smaller, less sophisticated platforms. Younger generations with tech-savvy are able to operate on smaller platforms but have difficulty recruiting via these mechanisms.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Steve Bannon Willing to Testify to Jan. 6 CommitteeThe former Trump strategist faces criminal charges after months of defying a congressional subpoena
Read more »
Stephanie Murphy, Jan. 6 Committee Member, Fled Vietnam, Then Capitol RiotersMurphy will help lead the next Jan. 6 hearing. She tells TIME how her whole life has led her to this pivotal moment.
Read more »
Predatory Sparrow: Who are the hackers who say they started a fire in Iran?Experts are asking who is behind Predatory Sparrow, the group which says it started a fire in an Iranian factory.
Read more »
Steve Bannon Willing to Testify to Jan. 6 CommitteeThe former Trump strategist faces criminal charges after months of defying a congressional subpoena
Read more »