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Far-right and far-left groups issued calls to take up arms on Friday amid escalating tensions over the US Supreme Court’s ruling on abortion.
“PROTECT YOUR CHURCHES TONIGHT,” far-right activist Nicholas Fuentes shouted on his personal channel in the Telegram messaging app, which has more than 44,000 followers.
As people across the country took to the streets to protest and support the decision, officials warned that the United States could face a wave of violence from extremists. In many publications, Fuentes and other far-right influencers cited a note released Friday by the US Department of Homeland Security warning that churches, judges and abortion providers could be at increased risk of violence “for weeks.” “In response to both the decision and the expected changes in state laws and voting measures resulting from the decision.
Although the DHS note says all countries are at risk, through far-right channels such as Fuentes, the note is mentioned as a call for weapons to protect pregnancy centers and churches from extremists who support abortion, according to disinformation researchers. . Pregnancy centers are non-profit organizations set up by abortion advocates to advise women not to have abortions.
“Protect and protect your local church. Protect and protect local pregnancy centers. Call them in advance. Carry rifles and people with you, “reads another post on the far-right channel of the Telegram. The publication calls on “American patriots” to “defend the faith.” (The Washington Post kept the name of the channel so as not to increase its influence.)
The repeal of the Supreme Court leaves states free to ban abortions
“We assume this could be a hollow situation,” said Lisa Kaplan, founder and CEO of Alethea Group, a technology company that detects and mitigates social media misinformation and manipulation that conducted a study of violent publications. “In social media platforms, we see politically charged calls for violence from the left and right in response to the Supreme Court Rowe vs. Wade solution, “she said.
Alethea said she found fewer calls for violence on the far left, but Kaplan said the study was preliminary. A post on the far left called for the burning of all churches except blacks.
“Only black churches should remain standing. Burn them all, “read one post.
Technology companies Twitter and Facebook have been actively monitoring the situation for potential violence, according to people familiar with the company’s discussions, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe it. The policies of most social media companies distinguish between calls for violence in the name of self-defense, which are more acceptable, and calls for assault.
The DHS note specifically identified a far-left network of loosely connected suspected violent extremists known as “Jane’s Revenge,” which he said involved several threats calling for a “night of rage” over the decision. DHS said the group claimed responsibility for the vandalism of a building that housed the office of a member of Congress and an anti-abortion group, as well as for at least three arson attacks since May targeting anti-abortion organizations. abortions in Oregon, New York and Wisconsin.
Immigration courts in Dallas, Chicago and Portland have announced they will close early Friday in anticipation of potentially destructive crowds.
Many far-right publications have called on followers to prepare to fight the expected violence of Jane’s Revenge. Some of the publications mention specific churches that may be targeted, including churches in Stockton and Costa Mesa, California and Detroit, and also note the exact locations where abortion groups are planning protests over the weekend. Other publications targeted Black Lives Matter activists, the left-wing antifa group and lesbians.
One warned that “special interest groups” would hire rebels from the leftist groups antifa and Black Lives Matter to “burn your city,” according to Alethea posts.
Another Telegram publication warns that “Every 300 lbs with a purple-haired nose with a BULLDYKE ring is now a threat of terrorism. LOCK AND DUMP PEOPLE AND BE Vigilant AND READY TO NEUTRALIZE THE THREAT. WE DO NOT NEGOTIATE WITH TERRORISTS! ”
Other publications were more conspiratorial, claiming that Jane’s Revenge was indeed the FBI. Others were anti-Semitic.
Maria Saketi contributed to the reports.
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