人兽性交

TOP TAKEAWAYS

In past years, anxieties and misinformation around the COVID-19 virus helped fuel belief鈥痠n鈥痑n impending takeover of the everyday lives of American citizens by the federal government.鈥疦arratives around a supposed loss of civil liberties, eroding freedoms and increased censorship have become core beliefs in antigovernment circles. Ideas鈥痵urrounding鈥痶he loss of civil liberties, combined with fears of impending gun confiscations, conspiracy theories surrounding the 2020 general election and nativist fears, served as the bedrock for the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection.

The fallout from arrests and convictions from鈥疛an. 6 what had previously been leading national organizations. The result is a movement reverting to more of a local/regional model. The national structure that鈥痵uch鈥痬ilitias鈥痑s鈥痶he鈥疧ath Keepers and鈥痶he鈥疶hree Percenters鈥痟ad used proved to be a liability in the law-enforcement crackdown after Jan.鈥�6. This has resulted in many militias going back to smaller localized groups that are harder to infiltrate. In essence, militias are largely returning to their early 1990s 鈥渓eaderless resistance鈥� 谤辞辞迟蝉.鈥�

These militias often go out of their way to portray themselves as entities training to help their communities in times of emergencies.鈥疷pon examination of the trainings, however, the鈥痝roups鈥痑re鈥痠nvariably outfitted in tactical gear鈥痑nd armed with鈥痺eapons. They are training for combat, not emergency preparedness. This鈥痠ntentional鈥痙isconnect between鈥痶heir public messaging and actual training isn鈥檛 new. In fact, it鈥檚 the same tactic used in recent history by鈥�Stewart Rhodes鈥痺颈迟丑鈥痶丑别鈥�Oath Keepers. Rhodes always framed his militia as offering training for emergency preparedness. At the鈥痶rainings鈥痶hemselves, attendees would spend a short amount of time talking about first aid and the rest of鈥痶he time鈥痚ngaging鈥痠n鈥痗ombat training.鈥疉s former Oath Keeper Jason Van Tatenhove鈥�told鈥痶he Southern Poverty Law Center, the trainings were鈥�鈥渄own-and-dirty warfighting taught by actual warfighters that had done it.鈥濃�疻hile militias since the early 1990s have sometimes used this 鈥渆mergency preparedness鈥濃�痮r 鈥渘eighborhood watch鈥濃�痜a莽ade, there seems to be a more consistent effort right now to play this public relations game.

Overall, militias鈥痑re鈥痬ore difficult to track, with many not having much of a social media presence. More mainstream social media spaces continue to deplatform militia groups, but many seem to be making a conscious choice to鈥痑void social media, including alt-tech platforms.鈥疻hen these groups do use social media, they go out of their way to frame themselves in the best possible light.

At the regional level,鈥痶here are鈥痬ilitia鈥痝roups coming together to train. An example is the formation of the Overmountain Men. This is an 鈥渁lliance鈥� between four militias around Tennessee, West Virginia, South Carolina and North Carolina.鈥疶hey鈥痟ave recently included a Vermont and an Arizona militia as well. They train together and coordinate. These militias seem to have separated themselves from groups that are more overtly political (the militias that show up on Capitol steps, as they sometime phrase it) to focus on unit cohesion and training.鈥疶his keeps鈥痶heir motives, plans and鈥痶rainings鈥痩argely hidden. They have a local focus and push the idea that they are there鈥痶o help鈥痶he community.

These鈥痩ocal/regional militia models clearly focus more on their own geographic areas. Unlike the national Oath Keepers and Three Percenters, these groups recruit on鈥痑 smaller, more local scale. They seem to rely less on social media, generally by choice. These鈥痑ppear to鈥痓e鈥痵trategic shifts due to insurrection fallout, but also reflect a trend on the right by extremists seeking to build鈥痩ocal鈥痯olitical power.

The national militia organizations that rose to prominence in the years before Jan. 6鈥痗ontinue to decline. The Three Percenter militias鈥痑re鈥痑 shell of what the national鈥痯resence鈥痷sed to be. During 2023, Three Percenters continued to be convicted for their roles in the insurrection.

Even more鈥痑ffected鈥痺as Oath Keepers, as Stewart Rhodes鈥�鈥痶o 18 years in prison for his role in the insurrection.鈥疶he two chapters鈥痬ost associated with Rhodes, in鈥�鈥痑苍诲鈥�,鈥痵eem to鈥痟ave folded.鈥疶he Arizona chapter officially rebranded under a new name and claims no relationship to Rhodes鈥� Oath Keepers, even though the leader said he still uses Oath Keepers flags and other propaganda.

Starting鈥痠n鈥�2023,鈥痶he鈥�人兽性交 is listing what was the political arm of the Arizona Oath Keepers chapter (Lions for Liberty) as its own separate organization. While Rhodes鈥� Oath Keepers may continue disappearing, that doesn鈥檛 mean鈥痑n end for鈥痠ts supporters. 鈥疉n entity out of Utah is operating as Oath Keepers USA,鈥痺hich claims to be an organization separate from Rhodes鈥� entity. However, its founders are remaining board members and state leaders from Rhodes鈥� Oath Keepers. This 鈥渘ew鈥� group鈥�鈥�鈥渢he original spirit of the now defunct 鈥極ath Keepers鈥� organization.鈥�

The militia movement was created to interact with the conservative mainstream. Because of that goal, it will continue to change and transform鈥痶o meet various challenges and opportunities.鈥疶he fallout from Jan. 6 is鈥痑ffecting鈥痶he movement, but it is adapting to stay relevant and rebuild.

KEY MOMENTS

The Oath Keepers garnered a wave of national media attention鈥痵pecifically鈥痜or their key involvement in the Jan. 6 insurrection. Both House Select Committee to Investigate the Jan. 6 Attack on the United States Capitol hearing and the Oath Keeper trials kept the spotlight on the group.鈥疶he group鈥痳eceived a nearly fatal blow in May 2023鈥痺hen鈥痠ts founder and leader, Stewart Rhodes, was sentenced to 18 years in prison for seditious conspiracy for his role鈥痠n the insurrection. To date, somewhere around 20 Oath Keepers have been convicted for their activities related to the insurrection.

In November鈥�2023, four more鈥痬embers of a Three Percenter鈥痬ilitia鈥痠n鈥疭outhern California鈥�(Erik Scott Warner, Felipe Antonio Martinez, Derek Kinnison and Ronald Mele)鈥痺ere鈥�鈥痜or their roles鈥痮n Jan. 6.鈥疶he鈥痬en鈥痡oined a鈥疶elegram chat鈥痗alled 鈥淭he California Patriots - DC Brigade鈥� to coordinate plans for鈥痝oing鈥痶o Washington,鈥疍.C.鈥疶he founders of the chat鈥痵tated they were looking for鈥�鈥渇ighters鈥� who were expected to bring 鈥渨eaponry鈥� and body armor with them鈥痮n Jan. 6.鈥疶he four were convicted of conspiracy and obstruction of an official proceeding, which refers to the joint session of Congress鈥痶hat鈥痬et to certify President Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 election.

WHAT鈥檚 AHEAD

Militia numbers have declined in recent years in large part鈥痑s a result of鈥痶he Jan. 6鈥痠nsurrection.鈥疶he鈥痯ublic鈥痑nd government agencies鈥痗ontinue鈥痶o identify and prosecute far-right extremists involved in the storming of the鈥疷.S.鈥疌apitol. When this is added to increased scrutiny from law enforcement, militias will continue to use a local/regional structure and try to鈥痳eframe themselves as helpers of the community, instead of overthrowers of democracy.鈥疕owever, their鈥痜ield鈥痚xercises involving full tactical鈥痝ear will continue鈥痶o illuminate their real purpose 鈥� combat training for what they see as an imminent and unavoidable battle with one-world government鈥痜orces, including the federal government.

BACKGROUND

The militia movement is rooted in the鈥疨osse Comitatus鈥痮f the 1970s. The Posse Comitatus movement was based on the belief that the county sheriff had the ultimate authority over a county, serving as the highest legitimate law officer who was supposed to protect their community from an encroaching federal government. The sheriff was then able to鈥痳ecruit men鈥痜rom the community and form a posse that would enforce peace and security. Under this idea,鈥痶he鈥痜ederal government had no authority to overrule a county sheriff.鈥疧ver the years, the idea of the Posse Comitatus evolved and inspired what we now recognize as the paramilitary wing of the antigovernment movement. Current militia members believe they are true patriots, with many holding onto the notion that they are modern-day versions of 18th-century colonists who banded together to fight off the British. The idea of the 鈥渦norganized militia鈥濃�痑苍诲鈥痵tanding up to a tyrannical government helps shape their interpretation of the Second Amendment and cements their view that every American has a right to own firearms to keep the government in check.

As a result, the militia movement is primarily driven by fear of gun confiscation, globalization and antigovernment conspiracy theories; though these are perennial fears, the urgency among the movement to organize outside legitimate channels increases during鈥疍emocratic鈥痑dministrations.

Over time, conspiratorial ways of thinking have evolved, and today many militia members peddle such narratives as the idea that nefarious actors within the federal government are working alongside foreign powers to chip away the United States鈥� sovereignty.

The current militia movement began in the early 1990s following the armed standoffs between the government and extremists鈥痑t鈥�Ruby Ridge in Idaho and in Waco,鈥疶exas.鈥疉t Ruby Ridge,鈥痶he 11-day standoff took place in August鈥�1992 after Randy Weaver, a鈥�Christian identity鈥痑dherent and the patriarch of the Weaver family, failed to appear in court for firearm-related charges.鈥�滨苍鈥�Waco鈥痠n 1993, the Branch Davidians were鈥痑massing illegal weapons. This鈥痩ed to a鈥�51-day standoff鈥痺ith federal law enforcement鈥痶hat鈥痗ulminated with a disastrous raid, which ended with the Waco compound burning to the ground, killing more than 70 Davidians.鈥疶hese deadly standoffs, and opposition to Clinton-era firearms laws, led many gun-rights radicals to form paramilitary groups. Their ranks declined following the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, bombing and throughout the Bush administration.鈥疶he鈥痚lection of鈥痜ormer President Barack Obama, however, ushered in a second wave鈥痮f growth that peaked with鈥痭ew groups like Oath Keepers and Three Percenters.

The movement employs legitimate tactics (political activism, protests, community service) and illegitimate (paramilitary training and organization, armed standoffs, criminal and/or terroristic violence).鈥疶he militia movement鈥檚鈥痑ntecedent is the Christian Identity-inspired Posse Comitatus,鈥痑nd Christian Identity, overall, played a key role in its development and early shaping鈥痠n the 1990s.鈥疢any of the militia movement鈥檚 one-world conspiracy theories parallel the鈥痑ntisemitic ones of hardcore white nationalists. Early militia framers, some of whom came from Identity鈥痗ircles,鈥痳eplaced 鈥淛ewish bankers鈥� and 鈥淛ewish puppet masters鈥� who supposedly controlled the world with different keywords, such鈥痑s鈥�鈥渋nternational bankers鈥� and鈥�鈥渢he United Nations.鈥濃�疨art of this was a strategic decision to downplay overt鈥痳acism and antisemitism, so the militia movement could鈥痠nteract鈥痺ith鈥痬ore mainstream parts of the conservative movement. By leading with pro-gun, anti-tax and pro-property rights鈥痬essages, the militia movement set itself up to try to appeal to a larger segment of the population.鈥疻hile the militia movement may have racist roots, it is鈥痭ot inherently racist.鈥�

This desire to tap into hot-button issues of the political mainstream has continued. As the federal government鈥檚 鈥淲ar on Terror鈥� following the鈥痶errorist attacks on 9/11 inspired鈥痑nti-Muslim bigotry, sectors of the militia movement jumped on board. Similarly,鈥痑s issues鈥痗oncerning immigration rose to prominence, some militias flocked to the border to illegally patrol鈥痑nd detain immigrants trying to cross the border.鈥疶hese developments reinforce the militia movement鈥檚 embrace鈥痮f鈥痭ativist beliefs under a thin veil of national security.

Notable鈥痟istorical moments鈥痠n鈥痶he鈥痬ilitia鈥痬ovement, and a few examples of the dangers it presents:

• At the鈥�鈥淩ocky Mountain Rendezvous鈥�鈥痠n鈥疎stes Park, Colorado, in 1992, 160 neo-Nazis, Klan members, antisemitic Christian Identity adherents and others arguably laid the groundwork for the militia movement that would explode in 1994.
• 滨苍鈥�January 1994, John Trochmann, a Randy Weaver supporter鈥痺ho attended events at Aryan Nations, launched鈥痶he first major modern militia, the Militia of鈥疢ontana.
• Oklahoma City Bombing, April 19, 1995: Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols bombed鈥痶he Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The bombing killed at least 168 people and injured at least 680鈥痯eople.
• In November 1995,鈥痬embers of the Oklahoma Constitutional Militia鈥痺ere arrested on charges of making bombs designed to blow up federal offices in several cities, along with abortion clinics and bars serving the 人兽性交+ community.鈥疉t the time of their arrest, they had 210 pounds of fertilizer, a gallon of nitromethane and part of a toaster that could be used as a detonator. A jury will later鈥�鈥痶he group鈥檚 leader,鈥疻illie Ray Lampley,鈥痑nd two of his鈥痜ollowers.鈥疞ampley鈥�.
• Two leaders of the Republic of Georgia militia鈥痺ere charged with manufacturing shrapnel-packed pipe bombs in April 1996. Another member鈥痺as鈥痑rrested later and accused of training a team to assassinate鈥痯oliticians.
• In October鈥�1996, seven members of the Mountaineer Militia鈥痺ere arrested in a plot to blow up the FBI鈥檚 national fingerprint records center in West Virginia. Ringleader Floyd鈥�鈥淩ay鈥濃�疞ooker is sentenced to 18 years in prison. Three others鈥痺ere imprisoned for the plot, one for providing blueprints of the FBI facility to鈥疞ooker.
• In December 1999, two members of the California-based San Joaquin Militia鈥痺ere charged in a plot to blow up two 12-million-gallon propane tanks, a television tower and an electrical substation in hopes of provoking an insurrection. The group鈥檚 leader pleaded鈥痝uilty to plotting to kill a federal judge and鈥痶o鈥痓low up the propane鈥痶anks
• Five members of the Alabama Free Militia鈥痺ere arrested in April 2007 in north Alabama鈥痙uring鈥痑 raid that uncovered鈥痑 cache of 130 homemade hand grenades, an improvised grenade launcher and other weapons. Raymond Kirk Dillard, the founder and鈥�鈥渃ommander鈥濃�痮f the group, had complained about Mexicans taking over the country and reportedly told his troops to open fire on federal agents if ever鈥痗onfronted.
• 础谤颈惫补肠补鈥痬耻谤诲别谤蝉, May 30, 2009: Shawna Forde, leader of the militant group Minutemen American Defense (MAD), coordinated an attempted home invasion that ended with a double homicide when members of the group killed Raul Flores and his 9-year-old daughter,鈥疊risenia. The group, which operated on nativist fears, was hoping to find cash or drugs to help maintain their border vigilante operations. Forde and one other member were sentenced to death,鈥痺hile a third member was sentenced to life in prison for his role in the killings.
• Cliven Bundy鈥檚 Battle at鈥疊unkerville, Nevada, April, 2014: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department engage in a four-day standoff against Cliven Bundy and his antigovernment followers, including several militia members. The dispute, which originated over cattle-grazing fees, ended when the BLM withdrew to avoid a violent clash with antigovernment supporters.
• Malheur鈥疦ational Wildlife Refuge Occupation, Jan. 2, 2016: Antigovernment adherents and militia members descended onto the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Princeton, Oregon, for a 41-day standoff with law enforcement. The move, led by Ammon Bundy, was an attempt to get the federal government to hand over public lands to states.聽
• White Rabbit Three Percenters Illinois Patriot Freedom Fighters Militia, March 2018: Members of the White Rabbit extremist group operated a criminal network that planned to bomb an Islamic Center in Minnesota, as well as vandalize a women鈥檚 health clinic. Two of the accused pleaded guilty,鈥痑nd one was convicted and sentenced to鈥�53鈥痽ears in prison for the plot. Two of the men,鈥�,鈥痓oth of鈥疌larence, Illinois,鈥痯leaded guilty in the District of Minnesota. The men were sentenced to鈥�190 months (about 16 years)鈥痑苍诲鈥�170 months (about 14 years)鈥痠n prison. The leader of the group,鈥疎mily Claire Hari, 51,鈥�鈥痑nd was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
• UCP Illegal detainment of migrants, April 20, 2019: The militia group鈥�United Constitutional Patriots鈥痝ained national attention after the group documented their activities outside Flora Vista, New Mexico, while searching for and detaining migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. Group leader Larry Mitchell Hopkins was eventually sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for illegally owning a firearm as a felon.
• : Members of the Wolverine Watchmen, along with members of the Michigan Militia, were arrested by the FBI and Michigan State Police after plotting to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The group was motivated by wild conspiracy theories that aimed to overthrow the state government and murder the governor.
• , Jan. 6, 2021: Violent domestic extremists, including antigovernment militias like the Oath Keepers, stormed the Capitol building to stop the certification of the results from the 2020 general election. Members of the group鈥痟ave been convicted of鈥痬ultiple federal charges. At least five people died in connection with the attack.
• Rhodes鈥痝uilty of鈥痵editious鈥痗onspiracy, Nov. 29, 2022: Elmer Stewart Rhodes, founder of the Oath Keepers militia,鈥痺as鈥痗onvicted in U.S. District Court of seditious conspiracy for his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection鈥痑苍诲鈥痺as鈥痩ater sentenced to 18 years in prison.鈥疪hodes and four other Oath Keepers 鈥� Kelly Meggs, Kenneth Harrelson, Jessica鈥疻atkins鈥痑nd Thomas鈥疌aldwell鈥�鈥� were convicted of obstruction of an official proceeding. Meggs was convicted of seditious conspiracy as well.

2023鈥疢ILITIA MOVEMENT GROUPS

View all groups by鈥�state鈥痑nd by鈥�ideology.
* - Asterisk denotes headquarters.

1st West Virginia Volunteer Mountain Infantry
West Virginia

American Patriots Three Percent
Alabama
Delaware
Florida
Pennsylvania

Appalachian Rangers Association
Knoxville, Tennessee

础谤颈锄辞苍补鈥叠辞谤诲别谤鈥疪别肠辞苍
Phoenix, Arizona

础谤颈锄辞苍补鈥疭迟补迟别鈥疢颈濒颈迟颈补
Sierra Vista, Arizona

Bedford County Militia
Bedford, Virginia

California State Militia
Central California

Cottonwood Militia
Cottonwood, California

First Pennsylvania Mountain Regiment
Pennsylvania

Frontiersmen, The
Ravenna, Ohio

Genesee County Volunteer Militia
Genesee County, Michigan

III% Security Force
Georgia

III% United Patriots
Johnstown, Colorado
Mt. Olive, North Carolina
North Carolina
Guilford County, North Carolina

Last Militia
Butler County, Ohio*

Light Foot Militia, 63rd Battalion
Spokane County, Washington

Mayhem Solutions Group
Casa Grande, Arizona

Michigan Liberty Militia
Barry County, Michigan

Missouri Militia
Jasper, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri

New England Minutemen
New Hampshire

New York Militia TM
Broadalbin, New York
Schaghticoke, New York *
Tillson, New York

Oath Keepers
Chino Valley, Arizona
Allen County, Indiana

Fredericksburg, Virginia
Zuni, Virginia
Wakefield, Virginia

Ohio Defense Force Home Guard
New Lexington, Ohio
Zanesville, Ohio*

Ohio Militiamen
Ohio

Ohio Minutemen Militia
Oak Harbor, Ohio

Ohio Valley Minutemen Citizen's Volunteer Militia
Charleston, West Virginia

Patriots for America
Dallas, Texas

Pennsylvania Light Foot Militia
Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Oath Keepers
Lake City, Pennsylvania

Real Three Percenters Idaho, The
Idaho

Southeast Michigan Volunteer Militia
Michigan

Stokes County Militia
King, North Carolina

Texas Three Percenters
Texas

This is Texas Freedom Force
Texas

Three Percent of Washington
Washington

Veterans On Patrol
Arizona

痴颈谤驳颈苍颈补鈥疜别办辞补蝉
Virginia

Watchmen
Concord, North Carolina*