The Alt-Observer Weekly Summary highlights activities from revolutionary communist, radical anarchist, fascist and other ‘alternative’ political groups that fulfill our intelligence requirements for both the Alt-Left and Alt-Right groups. This report is available for Alt-Observer subscribers.
Priority Intelligence Requirements
- PIR1: What indicators describe the Alt-Left movement’s strength, capabilities, sentiment, and capabilities?
- PIR2: What indicators describe the Alt-Right movement’s strength, capabilities, sentiment, and capabilities?
- PIR3: What are the new indicators of future politically related violence?
- PIR4: What is the current threat index score for the Alt-Left movement?
- Culture War Roll-Up
PIR1: What indicators describe the Alt-Left movement’s strength, capabilities, sentiment, initiatives, and infighting?
National
Antifa: A growing number of Alt-Left groups are openly embracing the Second Amendment and advocating for the ownership of firearms, participating in weapons training and even open-carrying during their protests and events. Some of the more notable gun-centric Alt-Left groups we’ve observed include the Red Guards, Redneck Revolt, Huey P. Newton Gun Club, Black Women’s Defense League, John Brown Gun Club, Brothas Against Racist Cops, Trigger Warning Queer and Trans Gun Club, Socialist Rifle Association, and Black Guns Matter, all of which are included under the antifascist/anti-racist.
(Source: https://www.facebook.com/grouchysocialists/posts/1938969379746592)
(Source: https://www.facebook.com/grouchysocialists/posts/1938967959746734)
(Source: https://occupy2a.wordpress.com/2018/05/06/ten-tips-how-to-talk-to-liberals-about-guns/)
(Source: https://www.naturalnews.com/2017-08-12-meet-red-guards-austin-a-marxist-left-wing-terrorist-group-based-in-austin-texas.html)
(Source: https://www.redneckrevolt.org)
(Source: https://hueypnewtongunclub.org/about)
(Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhx_fdOvnrI)
(Source: http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/lefties-with-guns-ready-to-ruimble-with-right-wing-militias-says-arizona-anarchist-beth-payne-9221311)
(Source: https://www.facebook.com/barcdenver/)
(Source: https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2017/10/23/meet-the-trigger-warning-queer-trans-gun-club-an-armed-response-to-the-us-far-right.html)
(Source: https://www.socialistra.org)
(Source: http://officialblackgunsmatter.com)(
Source: https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/06/antifa-movement-anti-trump-politics-nazi/)
East Coast
New York: An anonymous member of a New York City anarchist contingent published a “report back” on the antifascist/anarchist blog site It’s Going Down that discusses NYC’s MayDay 2018. (Analyst Comment: Nothing significant or especially noteworthy took place at this year’s MayDay in New York City, however, there are a few things worth mentioning that give some insight into the current state of the Left’s activist movement. Most notably, there’s some division currently taking place within the movement; specifically between the Alt-Left activists and the more moderate Left-wing activists. According to one witness, the non-radicalized activists repeatedly discouraged any militant action by the Black Bloc in order to keep the peace and prevent any unnecessary arrests.) The following is a quote from the article that details the dissension that took place during the demonstrations:
“One frustrating aspect was the reality of dealing with liberals and tankie peace police, who may have been upset that there was an explicit call for an anti-capitalist anti-statist bloc. Every time anarchists (who were were encouraged to set the tone and be militant anyway) tried to take the streets, they were discouraged by self proclaimed peace keepers in the march who complained about unnecessary arrests, and worked to keep people moving in a straight line. Not everyone listened to them, but they definitely hindered progress that could have been made. One thing we should think further about is the necessity to work and organize away from these groups who are more concerned about maintaining order than actually making a point and honoring the legacy of MayDay.”
(Analyst Comment: Surprisingly, no arrests were made, however, it’s not clear if the peace keeping is responsible for the lack of arrests.)
Another interesting detail revealed in the article was that teachers brought their students to the Black Bloc as a part a political science field trip to teach the students about the history of MayDay and anarchism. (Analyst Comment: The author did not say what age the students were.) (Source: https://itsgoingdown.org/report-back-from-nyc-may-day-anarchist-contingent/)
District of Columbia: On Tuesday, 08 May, the Washington D.C. chapters of Black Lives Matter, the American Civil Liberties Union, and Stop Police Terror Project requested that a court force mayor Muriel Bowser, as well as two other D.C. officials, into releasing “stop and frisk” data dating back to October 2016. The three groups are using a provision of the Neighborhood Engagement Achieves Results Act, which requires police to “collect comprehensive data on all stops and frisks conducted in the District,” in order to force Mayor Bowser into releasing the data. According to three D.C. activists groups, their pursuit of the data is inspired by their suspicion that local D.C. police have been “disproportionately stopping people of color, especially Black people.” (Source: https://www.acludc.org/en/news/civil-rights-groups-seek-court-order-against-dc-mayor-muriel-bowser-long-delayed-stop-and-frisk)
District of Columbia: An analyst for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will be used as an expert witness in an upcoming trial against six activists who were arrested during protests in Washington D.C. on the day of President Trump’s inauguration. Williams’ expertise is based on her work in the Counterterrorism Analysis Section of the FBI and her knowledge of open source material concerning Black Bloc. (Source: https://itsgoingdown.org/us-attorney-seeks-to-admit-fbi-analyst-as-expert-based-on-their-reading-of-books-that-mention-black-bloc/)
Massachusetts: Black Lives Matter Boston (BLMB) is attempting to raise funds to attend the Allied Media Conference that will be held in Detroit, Michigan from 14-17 June. According to BLMB, “This is an important event within community organizing groups, as it is a place where people who are utilizing media to create change come once a year to discuss media based organizing strategies.” As of 10 May, 2018, they have raised approximately 5% of their $1500 goal. (Source: https://www.youcaring.com/blacklivesmatterbostonmembers-1183789)
Midwest
Indiana/Michigan: In the days leading up to President Donald Trump’s speech in Indiana on Thursday, 10 May, Antifascist Action Michigan (AFAM) attempted to rally protestors for a “mass organization against Donald Trump.” The following is a quote from AFAM’s call to action that was posted on the antifascist blog site It’s Going Down:
“Since Trump’s election, the rhetoric has been pushed so far to the Right that his followers have begun engaging in a series of ridiculous crimes against humanity including acts of murder, violence, and harassment while promoting the most authoritarian and reactionary policies in the history of this country. We want to show that it has no place in South Bend, Elkhart, or anywhere. Together, we will oppose the rise of fascism, whether it comes in white sheets or $1,000 suits protected by the Secret Service…. With the potential for a large right wing presence that will surely be heavily protected by police, the need for a mass convergence is clear. This is all hands on deck.” (Source: https://itsgoingdown.org/elkhart-indiana-call-for-mobilization-against-trump/)
Missouri: Red Guards Austin (RGA) announced on their Facebook page that members of Red Guards Kansas City (RGKC) and Red Guards Charlotte (RGC) were arrested during demonstrations on May Day. “In both Kansas City and Charlotte, comrades were kidnapped by pigs during May Day demonstrations… three were arrested in Charlotte, and five in Kansas City (in both cities the pigs took off the liberal mask they sometimes wear and roughed up the comrades during the arrests).” Included in the post were two links to fundraisers on the fundraiser website Funded Justice for their RGKC and RGC comrades. The following are the descriptions for each of the fundraisers:
RGKC: “During our May Day march in celebration of International Worker’s Day, four of our comrades were arrested after being roughed up and thrown to the ground by heavily armed police. Please help us raise funds to free them and get them back home.”
RGC: “Today 3 people were arrested in Charlotte, North Carolina during a May Day (International Workers Day) demonstration! Support the people who are out in the streets fighting for the rights of workers! Donate to support their families in this time of need!”
As of 10 May, 2018 RGKC has raised 54% of it’s $3000 goal and RGC has raised 100% of it’s $1,500 goal. (Source: https://www.facebook.com/redguardsaustin/posts/1681591411927006)(Source: https://www.fundedjustice.com/f1LpQ6?ref=ab_1yEWOyx4DqC1yEWOyx4DqC)(Source: https://www.fundedjustice.com/21LpO6?ref=ab_1yEWOyx4DqC1yEWOyx4DqC)
Southeast
North Carolina: A WordPress document by Red Guards Charlotte (RGC) titled “Postmodernism is bourgeois ideology and we support violence against it” was shared by Red Guards Los Angeles (RGLA) on Facebook. RGLA stands in solidarity with their Charlotte comrades, and in a post stated that, “Postmodernism is an enemy of the proletariat and the Communist Party, and therefore revolution. Two things it rejects are leadership and authority. But they argue both, somehow, are intrinsically bad. But much like an AK, its use is determined by who uses it: the proletariat or the bourgeoisie.” The following are a few notable quotes from RGC’s document:
“As we theorized months ago, postmodernism negates power for the proletariat, and this is the principal problem with it. Postmodernism is obsessed with hating power. It is a perfect weapon today against Maoism, so it is completely opposed to the interests of the proletariat and the whole people.”
“What we are building in Charlotte is the cell of the body that will make revolution and give the proletariat authority over their oppressors. Even while small, our group has to be able to stand up on its own and we are not so desperate for supporters that we will let people talk to us in any type of disrespectful way that completely opposes our principles.”(Source: https://www.facebook.com/RedGuardsLA/posts/2135466673147360)
North Carolina: Red Guards Austin (RGA) announced on their Facebook page that members of Red Guards Kansas City (RGKC) and Red Guards Charlotte (RGC) were arrested during demonstrations on May Day. “In both Kansas City and Charlotte, comrades were kidnapped by pigs during May Day demonstrations… three were arrested in Charlotte, and five in Kansas City (in both cities the pigs took off the liberal mask they sometimes wear and roughed up the comrades during the arrests).” Included in the post were two links to fundraisers on the fundraiser website Funded Justice for their RGKC and RGC comrades. The following are the descriptions for each of the fundraisers:
RGKC: “During our May Day march in celebration of International Worker’s Day, four of our comrades were arrested after being roughed up and thrown to the ground by heavily armed police. Please help us raise funds to free them and get them back home.”
RGC: “Today 3 people were arrested in Charlotte, North Carolina during a May Day (International Workers Day) demonstration! Support the people who are out in the streets fighting for the rights of workers! Donate to support their families in this time of need!”
As of 10 May, 2018 RGKC has raised 54% of it’s $3000 goal and RGC has raised 100% of it’s $1,500 goal. (Source: https://www.facebook.com/redguardsaustin/posts/1681591411927006)(Source: https://www.fundedjustice.com/f1LpQ6?ref=ab_1yEWOyx4DqC1yEWOyx4DqC)(Source: https://www.fundedjustice.com/21LpO6?ref=ab_1yEWOyx4DqC1yEWOyx4DqC)
Mountain West
Utah: A Utahan activist and founder of the Utah chapter of Black Lives Matter named Lex Scott is proposing a new legislation that would “prevent police from killing people of color.” According to the Salt Lake Tribune the new legislation would “require independent civilian police review boards that could mete out punishment for wrongful acts” and would also “demand better police training and guarantee that police body-cam video be released within 24 hours, unedited and with sound.” In response to the proposal Salt Lake City police department spokesman and detective Greg Wilking said in a statement that an independent review board “most likely is not viable in Utah.” (Source: https://www.sltrib.com/news/2018/05/08/black-lives-matter-utah-chapter-has-a-plan-to-reduce-police-shootings/)
West Coast
California: Red Guards Los Angeles (RGLA) published a transcript of a speech given by supporters of the Red Guard at May Day. The following are a few notable quotes from the speech:
“We stand in solidarity with the Red Guards and principally Maoist collectives who are working towards the creation of the Maoist Party. We stand in solidarity with Maoist parties across the world who are committed to building socialism and fighting revisionism through People’s War!”
“we are unshakable with optimism that the seeds of the People’s Army have already been planted and that each day, each new step in the class struggle led by Serve the People – Los Angeles, shall we see those seeds germinate into an unstoppable armed, disciplined and centralized army!”
“We must prepare today, yesterday and tomorrow for the prolong confrontation, the protracted war, against the capitalist state. We must carry out military actions against the enemies of the people!”
“it becomes evident that the masses yearn for blood, for vengeance and liberation! The masses are fighting back and we will guide them toward victory through revolutionary violence and warfare!” (Source: https://redguardsla.org/2018/05/02/the-masses-demand-revolution-our-task-is-to-give-that-to-them-our-fate-is-sealed-in-the-glory-of-this-condemnation/)
In addition to their speech that called for revolutionary violence against the Capitalist state during their May Day demonstration, members of RGA hung an effigy of President Trump. (Source: https://pjmedia.com/trending/la-antifa-group-hangs-trump-in-effigy-calls-for-revolutionary-violence-against-the-capitalist-state/)
California: Seven anti-fascist protestors who are facing felony assault charges are claiming that they were targeted for arrest because of their political views. The claim was put forth by their defense, but has been rejected by the judge due to a lack of hard evidence. The protestors were arrested on 26 June 2016 after they assaulted white nationalists during a rally at the California State Capitol in Sacramento. (Source: http://www.davisvanguard.org/2018/05/judge-rejects-defense-claim-anti-fascist-protestors-2016-capitol-melee-targeted-arrest-political-views/)
California: Black Lives Matter protestors shut down a freeway in Sacramento last weekend in protest of the fatal shooting of Stephon Clark by police in March 2018. (Source: http://www.sacbee.com/latest-news/article210560454.html)
Oregon: Rose City Antifa (RCA) posted an update on their Facebook page that provides insight into the current state of their organization. The following is a copy of the full post:
“After a series of arrests and the loss of our Lake Oswego safe-house we have decided to open our ranks to a very select few recruits over the next month. We lost 7 members in a single fascist police action raid on March 27th, all are being held with excessive bond due to lies told by the prosecutor to make us sound like a flight risk to the judge. These are my fucking brothers and sisters, being abused like caged animals by “Multnomah County’s finest”. I have a damn good idea of who snitched us out and we’ll be publishing their photos right here over the next few days. The idea that intergroup rivalry led to the incarcerate of so many members just sickens me woefully. Any interested prospects must have prior street experience in volatile urban skirmish scenarios and be willing to stand there ground in highly explosive riot atmospheres. If you think you’ve got what it takes to stand between the most volnetable citizens (people of color and the LGBTQ community) and NAZI scum, then get at us via Direct Message. Don’t send any personal information. Just a paragraph on why you want to join and a brief outline of your street combat experience. We’re very busy so it might take a couple of days to get back to you. Also, we need a new safe house to run things from, so if you’ve got a place, you go straight to the front of the que.”
(Analyst comment: It is also worth noting that a picture of Kyle “Based Stickman” Chapman was included with the post, however, it is not clear what his connection to this is.) (Source: https://www.facebook.com/RoseCityAntifaNoSnitches/posts/199844703954410)
Southwest
Austin: Red Guards Austin (RGA) announced on their Facebook page that members of Red Guards Kansas City (RGKC) and Red Guards Charlotte (RGC) were arrested during demonstrations on May Day. “In both Kansas City and Charlotte, comrades were kidnapped by pigs during May Day demonstrations… three were arrested in Charlotte, and five in Kansas City (in both cities the pigs took off the liberal mask they sometimes wear and roughed up the comrades during the arrests).” Included in the post were two links to fundraisers on the fundraiser website Funded Justice for their RGKC and RGC comrades. The following are the descriptions for each of the fundraisers:
RGKC: “During our May Day march in celebration of International Worker’s Day, four of our comrades were arrested after being roughed up and thrown to the ground by heavily armed police. Please help us raise funds to free them and get them back home.”
RGC: “Today 3 people were arrested in Charlotte, North Carolina during a May Day (International Workers Day) demonstration! Support the people who are out in the streets fighting for the rights of workers! Donate to support their families in this time of need!”
As of 10 May, 2018 RGKC has raised 54% of it’s $3000 goal and RGC has raised 100% of it’s $1,500 goal. (Source: https://www.facebook.com/redguardsaustin/posts/1681591411927006)(Source: https://www.fundedjustice.com/f1LpQ6?ref=ab_1yEWOyx4DqC1yEWOyx4DqC)(Source: https://www.fundedjustice.com/21LpO6?ref=ab_1yEWOyx4DqC1yEWOyx4DqC)
Austin: A Maoist activist in Austin, Texas has be ousted as a rapist by Red Guards Austin (RGA). The details of the rape, the activists participation in the local socialist movement, and the eventual discovery of the rapists past are detailed in a document authored and released by RGA. According to RGA, the rapist is a woman named McKinley Forbes, who was previously a man named Caleb Forbes. Forbes formerly lived in Virginia and used far-left politics to meet and have sex with women in the Virginia Alt-Left activist scene, which eventually led to him allegedly assaulting, raping, and strangling an unnamed woman. Once the woman pressed charges, Forbes changed his name to McKinley, changed his sex to female, and used his new identity to enter and use the LGBT community as protection. Forbes moved to Austin, Texas shortly thereafter and became involved in the Austin socialist movement where his past history was eventually discovered after the woman he raped contacted other activists in the area and informed them of his past. In response to these allegations RGA and other activist groups that Forbes has been involved with have disavowed him and have pledged to “use what power we do have to make living in Austin and being in public unbearable for this anti-woman monster.” (Source: https://redguardsaustin.wordpress.com/2018/05/09/from-rapist-to-revisionist-mckinley-formerly-known-as-caleb-forbes/)
Austin: The Austin Socialist Collective (ASC) published an article on Facebook in celebration of Karl Marx’s 200th birthday. The article titled “Their Marx and Ours” discusses how the Capitalist media praises Marx’s criticism of Capitalism and then criticizes them for not fully understanding and appreciating Marx, who they claim did not simply criticize capitalism, but advocated for it’s complete destruction. The ASC concluded the article with the claim that their Marx “is the Marx of class struggle, the Marx of ruthless critique, the Marx of revolution, and neither praise nor condemnation from the ruling class can destroy his spirit.” (Source: https://www.facebook.com/notes/austin-socialist-collective/their-marx-and-ours/2080073938687876/)
PIR2: What indicators describe the Alt-Right movement’s strength, capabilities, sentiment, initiatives, and infighting?
Virginia: A Ku Klux Klan imperial wizard named Richard W. Preston Jr. who attended the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia has been found guilty of illegally firing a weapon during the rally. Video of the incident shows Preston drawing his pistol and firing it in response to a black counter-protestor named Corey A. Long, who was shooting large flames out of an aerosol can. Preston is facing up to 10 years in prison and a $100,000 fine. (Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/ku-klux-klan-leader-found-guilty-for-firing-gun-at-charlottesville-rally/2018/05/08/d4229ec6-522b-11e8-9c91-7dab596e8252_story.html)
Virginia: On 05 May about 12 members of the Dixie Defenders and the Confederate States of America II gathered in front of the Robert E. Lee monument in Richmond, Virginia to protest it’s removal. Around 50-100 counter-protestors showed up, however, Richmond police kept the two opposing groups separate. (Source: https://itsgoingdown.org/richmond-va-neo-confederates-outnumbered-again/)
Website: An Alt-Right dating website called “WhiteDate” has been launched that invites European men and women with shared values to come together. In response to the site’s launch, Alt-Left groups are already attempting to have the site taken down. (Source: https://www.whitedate.net) (Source: https://twitter.com/whitedatenet) (Source: https://www.facebook.com/grouchysocialists/posts/1939476136362583)
New York: A small record store called “Heretic’s Crypt” that was located within an antique shop in Long Island, New York has been publicly ostracized and forced out of business for selling alleged neo-Nazi merchandise. The Huffington Post published an article about Heretic’s Crypt’s banishment, which was instigated by two anonymous locals who discovered the Nazi items and reported the store to the president of the local Chamber of Commerce. According to the two locals they were looking through the store’s when they realized that the majority of them were National Socialist black metal by “fringe neo-Nazi bands or other groups not tolerated in polite metal circles.” The president of the Chamber of Commerce said in an interview with the Huffington Post that within hours of the store’s neo-Nazi sentiments being unveiled it was banned from the antique shop, packed up, and gone. (Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/long-island-record-shop-neo-nazi-merchandise_us_5ae9bdaee4b022f71a03dd5a)
PIR3: What are the new indicators of future politically related violence?
12 MAY: Rock Against Racism, Alberta, Canada
12-19 MAY: International Week of Action Against Fossil Fuel Infrastructure (https://itsgoingdown.org/call-for-international-week-of-action-against-fossil-fuel-infrastructure-may-12th-19th/)
18-20 MAY: National Faith Weekend Anti-Trump Protest (https://refusefascism.org/2018/05/03/national-faith-weekend-may-18-20-i-am-my-brothers-keeper-the-trump-pence-regime-must-go/)
23-24 MAY: Anarchist Theatre Festival, Montreal, Canada (https://anarchistnews.org/content/montreal%E2%80%99s-13th-annual-anarchist-theatre-festival)
19 JUNE: Juneteenth Mobilization Against Prison Slavery (https://itsgoingdown.org/call-for-a-juneteenth2018-mobilization-against-prison-slavery/)
04 JULY: Day of Action in Memory of Dan and Spit
PIR4: What is the current threat index score for the Alt-Left movement?
Indicators of Revolutionary Activity
Strong Indications: 7
Weak Indications: 6
No/Negligible Indications: 7
There’s been no change to indicators this week.
Culture War Roll-Up
Trump/Kanye: During his speech at the NRA convention in Dallas, Texas last weekend, President Trump announced that his African-American poll numbers doubled from 11% to 22% in the week since rapper Kanye West publicly displayed his support of the president on Twitter. President Trump’s claim is backed by a Reuters weekly tracking poll, however, the poll was for African-American men, not all African-Americans. (Source: https://www.theroot.com/trump-just-thanked-kanye-west-for-doubling-his-poll-num-1825784745)
California: A charter school in Chula Vista has become embroiled in controversy after the school painted a mural outside of the school which depicts President Trump’s severed head being speared by an Aztec warrior. The school hired Sasha Andrade, an artist who works for local graffiti expo that raises scholarship funds, to paint the mural. According to the San Diego Tribune, the mural has since been covered up. The Secret Service reportedly received complaints about the mural, however, it is not yet known if they are opening an investigation. (Source: https://www.theroot.com/california-artist-receives-death-threats-from-charter-s-1825809385) (Source: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/sd-me-trump-mural-20180504-story.html) (Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/education/wp/2018/05/05/a-schools-mural-depicts-trumps-severed-head-on-a-spear/)
Harvard: A Harvard Student was violently arrested after attacking police officers who were attempting to arrest him. According to the New York Post, the student is a Ghanian native and was arrested for causing commotion in the middle of a busy street while he was naked and high on LSD. The New York Post also reported that in the process of the arrest two officers were injured, the student spit blood in the face of a medical technician and two weeks after the incident he was still in the hospital for psychological observation. Despite all of this, in response to the student’s arrest Harvard University administrators condemned the officers use of force and immediately racialized the incident, which has led to increased racial tension and the demand for “more diversity infrastructure” on campus. (Source: https://nypost.com/2018/05/04/harvards-insane-attack-on-cops/)
Maryland: A billboard in Calvert County, Maryland that says “HEY LIBERALS – Better get your guns if you try and impeach President Trump — From all of your deplorables in Calvert County” will be taken down. According to Calvert County Sheriff Mike Evans the billboard does not violate any laws, however, it will still be taken down due to the numerous complaints that the county has received concerning the billboard. (Source: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/387042-billboard-warning-liberals-over-trump-impeachment-efforts-to)