Alt-Observer Weekly Summary For 22 October 2018 – Forward Observer

Alt-Observer Weekly Summary For 22 October 2018

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 Intelligence subscribers. 


In this Alt-Observer Weekly Summary

  • IGD: Right Wing Death Squads are a ticking time bomb
  • Antifa to pushback against the Proud Boys in Philadelphia
  • Antifa Witches place “hex” on Justice Kavanaugh
  • NY Antifa attempts to cancel Steve Bannon event
  • Antifa volunteers are allegedly fighting ISIS in Syria
  • RGA: DSA are capitalist pigs!
  • Geronimo Tactical hosts combat training event in east Texas
  • RCA in solidarity with migrant caravan
  • Proud Boys are the militant wing of the GOP
  • Identity Evropa Rollup
  • Weekend Rollup

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?

PIR1: What indicators describe the Alt-Left movement’s strength, capabilities, sentiment, initiatives, and infighting?

National

It’s Going Down: It’s Going Down published a blog post this week titled “Right Wing Death Squad: The Ticking Time Bomb of Trumpism.” The blog puts forth the argument that the American Right has become radicalized due to “how hostile and unstable the political situation in America has become,” and that the “fascist movement” is headed towards authoritarianism and genocide:

“The fascist movement is rapidly approaching its fifth stage of development, when it will either entropy into a traditional authoritarian state, as did fascist Italy, or continue to radicalize, as did Nazi Germany. The latter course is etched into the public consciousness in photographs of liberated Holocaust survivors, among other atrocities. There are signs America is moving in that direction faster than expected, namely the blanket de-legitimization of political freedoms, and the integration of fascist vigilantes with official party doctrine.”

The blog post then goes on to speculate that America is not far away from “right-wing death squads” being unleashed by the government:

“How far away are we, really, from actual right-wing death squads appearing on the street? How close are we to a massive crisis of state legitimacy? In such a factionalized climate, it would only take one major fissure to ignite a chain reaction of revanchism and authoritarian backlash, the end result of which could be utterly nightmarish…. Only one avenue remains for the revolutionary left, and it lies entirely outside of the State. We are under threat from a radicalized government which daily edges closer to unleashing its full, brutal potential for oppression, and we cannot afford to act meekly while the blackshirts are sharpening their knives.”

[Source: https://itsgoingdown.org/right-wing-death-squad-ticking-time-bomb-of-trumpism/]

 

 

North East

Pennsylvania: Antifascists have announced a “pushback” campaign dedicated towards exposing the Proud Boys as the “violent far-right organization they are.” As a part of the campaign, antifascists plan to “take a stand” against the Proud Boys during the upcoming We the People Rally in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A flyer for the pushback protest states that:

“The residents and allies of Philadelphia must stand in opposition to this escalation of the far-right’s push into the city’s culture and politics. We are urging that people recognize the seriousness and danger of this situation, and come out to oppose them on November 17th at Washington Square in Center City Philadelphia. There is safety in numbers, so to ensure the protection of vulnerable individuals and communities, it is important that as many people as possible show up in opposition.”

[Source: https://twitter.com/AntiFashGordon/status/1053726687177908224]

[Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/171281213803986/]

[Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/419562875241231/]

 

New York: Daily Beast reporter Alaina Demopoulos published an article this week that details her experience inside of an Antifa event in Brooklyn, New York, where antifascist witches cursed and hexed Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

According to Demopoulos, the event was hosted by witches from an occult shop called “Catland” and members of Antifa. During the event, antifascists cursed their enemies, meditated and shared stories of “abuse, marginalization, or anger.” Demopoulos wrote that they:

“made three effigies resembling Donald Trump, Brett Kavanaugh, and ‘F*ckface (Mitch) McConnell’ as the focal point of rage during the rituals, but hex-goers were invited up by section to write down the names of their own abusers to bolster the spell. Above the table that held the effigies and ‘dick candles’ stabbed with needles, a chalk board read, ‘Lavetur in Nobis Sanguis Tyrannis,’ which translates as ‘To bathe in the blood of tyrants.’ Not all guests were practicing witches, or even considered themselves spiritual. For many, the hex served as an outlet for fury.”

Demopulous spoke with an attendee named Tracey Freeman, who stated that she came to the event as a “cool act of solidarity.” Freeman then stated that the event is “healing for people who have experienced all different types of trauma to be in that space and be with other people with those experiences to discuss the power and love that emanates from people in spite of a world that’s against you.”

According to Demopoulos, two more of these events are planned for 2018, and half of the $10 admission charge to attend the event will go to Planned Parenthood and the Ali Forney Center, which supports homeless LGTBQ youth in New York. [Source: https://www.thedailybeast.com/inside-the-brooklyn-witches-antifa-hex-on-kavanaugh]

New York: Western New York Anti-Fascist Action (WNYAFA) has announced a call in campaign to cancel an upcoming Republican campaign rally, where former Trump advisor Steve Cannon will be a featured guest speaker. WNYAFA made the announcement in a post on their Facebook page:

“Action Needed: We’re asking that you to make [sic] a simple phone call (preferably) or send a message to the location in WNY that has decided to host a known white nationalist. You can also contact your local republican politicians and ensure them that people like Bannon speaking on their behalf will do more to repel voters than attract them. In the comments we will provide a possible template for those who have not made such phone calls before and are unsure how to go about it.”

In the comment section of the post, WNYAFA posted a call-in template for callers to read from,

“Hi, I’m calling today about the decision to host Steve Bannon at your location. I’d like to make it known that the people of WNY will not welcome white nationalism or hate mongering in our community. We ask you to refuse to be an outlet for the thinly disguised hate speech of this particular speaker. Who is quoted as saying such things as….”Let them call you racist! Wear it as a badge of honor” and ———insert your own disgusting Steve Bannon quote.”

[Source: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=271309683513425&id=121580415153020]

[Source: https://buffalonews.com/2018/10/17/bannon-to-attend-gop-rally-in-elma/]

(Analyst Comment: In the appropriate context, Steve Bannon is telling his audience to wear the label ‘racist’ as a badge of honor because accusations of racism are a last ditch effort for losing Democrats. Bannon was not telling his audience to be racist or to be proud to be racist.)

South East

Arkansas: Anti-Fascist Action Arkansas (AFAA) posted a “reminder” on their Facebook page this week that Antifa volunteers are in Syria killing ISIS:

“Just a reminder to all you Trump supporters out there, right now as we speak, Antifa volunteers (that means orgs all over the US/World) are in Syria killing ISIS side by side the YPG/JPG, while yall sit here on your computer and share your “isis hunting permit” memes, we are getting the job done. Not the US military, not Trump, but antifascist forces and the YPG/JPG are the only two reason ISIS is about to be non existent. While the only reason most of you joined the military to fight wars to lick the boots of some master, we volunteer to put our lives on the line for people who want to be free.”

Following the reminder, AFAA stated in the post that “we are more than ready for some good ol boys, if we dealt with ISIS with no problem.” (Analyst comment: This statement is most likely directed at the various right-wing militia groups who often oppose Alt-Left groups like Antifa at rallies and protests in the US.) [Source: https://www.facebook.com/RAMArkansas/posts/2143563389193821] [Source: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/the-anarchists-vs-the-islamic-state-109047/]

Louisiana: The Guardian published an article this week that details the desperation of Alt-Left environmental activist as they protest the final stretch of the Dakota Access Pipeline. According to The Guardian, protestors have staged “unprecedented” and “divisive” protests during their campaign to prevent the finalization of the pipeline, which they believe will put Louisiana’s river swamps “in peril.” (Analyst comment: The protests orchestrated by groups such as L’eau Est La Vie Camp have become increasingly dangerous as the pipeline nears it’s completion. Protests have evolved from peaceful activists holding signs and chanting — to completely shutting down construction for hours and even days due to protestors climbing, sabotaging, or locking themselves to construction equipment and hanging from trees to prevent workers from clearing trees.)

In an interview with The Guardian, local pipeline protestor Jody Meche expressed concern for the protests’ future, saying that, “Frustrations are high, tensions are high…. If these issues don’t get addressed, then I am fearful that the Cajun people that rely on the Atchafalaya basin for their way of life are going to resort to drastic measures.” [Source: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/oct/16/dakota-access-pipeline-bayou-bridge-protest-activism]

 

Mid-West

Missouri: The Red Path Collective St. Louis (RPCSL) Facebook page posted a WordPress document by Red Guards Austin (RGA) that calls for a boycott of the upcoming midterm elections. In the post, RPCSL writes that the working class is being drowned by the Democratic Party and that only an “armed struggle will save us.”

“The “Blue Wave” will continue to drown the working and poor of St. Louis! Democrats have controlled our city consistently for decades, and the working class residents have only seen starvation, death, abuse and police brutality as a result. Sexual harassment and abuse of women continues at alarming rates at the hands of the police and men in general. The death of Michael Brown and the subsequent abuse and death of protestors in Ferguson happened under the Obama Administration with a majority-Democrat Congress. Don’t let liberals deceive you by saying freedom is at the polls! History proves otherwise! Only armed struggle will save us! ELECTIONS NO! REVOLUTION YES!”

[Source: https://www.facebook.com/pg/RedPathCollective/posts/]

 

South West

Texas: Red Guards Austin (RGA) published a blog post this week criticizing the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and encouraging them to “remedy any remaining confusion” about their stance on the socialist organization. In the document titled “DSA are Capitalist pigs!”, RGA writes that the DSA are “shilling for the Democrats” and that Austin DSA member and city council candidate Lewis Conway Jr. is “a known domestic abuser with at least one restraining order out against him.” The following are notable quotes from the document that provide insight into why RGA believe’s they are ideologically opposed to the DSA:

“These instances are not flukes or deviations from the principles of DSA; they are the only logical expression of DSA opportunism, electioneering, profiteering, and careerism. DSA, like every other bourgeois organization, does not care about the people, and consequently stands opposed to revolution. What makes them particularly dangerous, and why we especially revile them, is that they carry out this anti-people activity in the name of “socialism,” albeit a mutated conception of it, which they signify by adding the caveat “democratic” to the front of. As the masses become more and more fed up with capitalist exploitation and white-supremacist oppression, they begin to look for new ideas to get out of it.”

“They believe that the masses support change only when bribed, and that there is no way to mobilize them in armed struggle to achieve it. Maoists, contrary to this cynical, pessimistic, and negative worldview, know well that the masses clamor for revolution, that this must be organized into a tempest led by the Communist Party. That we must reconstitute this Party through direct confrontation with class enemies. This includes confronting the DSA and preventing them from sapping the energy of the masses and diverting their revolutionary potential in the interest of counterinsurgency.”

“They fear what will happen to people like them when the masses grasp and apply revolutionary theory, which today means grasping, upholding, and applying Marxism-Leninism-Maoism, principally Maoism. We know full well that the masses are not so averse to theoretical study and ideological struggle. While the DSA squirms, we will continue bringing real Marxism to the masses.”

“Militants placing pigs heads outside of DSA events is but an act of protest, exposing them for the pigs they are and treating them as such. To play victim after their track record of anti-people activity is just in their nature. The contradiction between revolutionaries and the DSA is the contradiction between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. It is an antagonistic contradiction, and we will not mistake it for anything less.”

[Source: https://redguardsaustin.wordpress.com/2018/10/21/dsa-are-capitalist-pigs/]

Texas: Black identity extremist Rakem Balogun shared a video on his Facebook page this weekend from a combat training event hosted by Geronimo Tactical. (Analyst Comment: Rakem Balogun is the first person to be targeted and prosecuted by the FBI for being a black identity extremist, and is the co-founder of both Guerrilla Mainframe and the Huey P. Newton Gun Club. The video shared by Balogun was originally posted by Robert Taylor, who is a member of Guerrilla Mainframe and a co-founder of Geronimo Tactical. Geronimo Tactical is a Dallas-based weapons training company that is “tailored for Black people to know and understand how to handle and use guns and various weapons for self defense.” Guerrilla Mainframe was founded in Dallas, Texas in 2008 and is a Pan-African, anti-capitalist, activist group that believes in the revolutionary and total overthrow of the Capitalist System.)

A flyer for the event states that attendees would be participating in a series of training drills and courses, including:

  • Urban prepper and readiness training
  • Low light shooting drills
  • Shotgun combat drills
  • Shoot and move courses
  • Malfunction drills
  • Cover and concealment course
  • 1st responder medical course

The event took place in Tyler, Texas on Saturday, 20 October, 2018, and cost $40.00 to participate in the training sessions.

   

[Source: https://www.facebook.com/christopher.daniels.54943/posts/1052578928253536]

[Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/11/rakem-balogun-interview-black-identity-extremists-fbi-surveillance]

[Source: https://www.guerrillamainframe.org/about-gmf]

[Source: https://fightwithyourdollar.com/listing/geronimo-tactical/]

 

West Coast

Oregon: In a series of tweets Rose City Antifa (RCA) bashed Portland mayor Ted Wheeler, stating that they would not be deterred by the Portland Police Department and will continue to stand against groups such as Patriot Prayer and the Proud Boys:

“Ted Wheeler’s cowardly protest gag-rule will not deter us from coming out to defend our community from the bigots, white nationalists, anti-semites, and neo-nazis who attend Patriot Prayer events.”

“This rule will continue PPB’s pattern over the last two years of targeting anti-fascist community defense while abetting Patriot Prayer’s attacks on our city and community members. This rule is not going to protect our community. It is an attempt to silence and defang it.”

“Ted Wheeler seems to think that we and the Proud Boys/Patriot Prayer are equally culpable for the last two years. The reality is that the Proud Boys will target anyone who disagrees with them, regardless of if they are ‘masked antifa’ or not.”

[Source: https://twitter.com/RoseCityAntifa/status/1051994083902808064]

Oregon: The Rose City Antifa Facebook page posted an article by The New York Times this week  concerning the thousands of migrants who are currently heading to the US from Central America. In the post RCA stated that they are in “Solidarity with these brave people.”

[Source: https://www.facebook.com/sometimesantisocialalwaysantifascist/posts/703290113371090]

Oregon: The Greater Seattle IWW General Defense Committee (GS-IWW-GDC) posted on their Facebook page calling for their supporters to join Rose City Antifa in the stand against Patriot Prayer and the Proud Boys during an upcoming in Portland, Oregon on 17 November 2018.

“The scumbags at Patriot Prayer and from the PNW Proud Boys are hosting a “#HimToo” rally to bemoan the recent social movement intended to hold abusers of all genders accountable for their actions. Guess who is set to be a speaker at this shitty rally? None other than Boeing employee Nick Boling who is VP of the Seattle Proud Boys. We guess he is going to share his harrowing tale of that time he spit on a woman bartending and squared up on her like he was gonna hit her or something. We hope that everyone who can will make it down to Portland for the demonstration our friends at Rose City Antifa are organizing as a response. We stand with all survivors as they finally have fought for and created some space to begin sharing their stories.”

[Source: https://www.facebook.com/pg/SeattleGDC/posts/]


PIR2: What indicators describe the Alt-Right movement’s strength, capabilities, sentiment, initiatives, and infighting?

Claim: Proud Boys are the militant wing of the GOP

An article published by The Baffler states that the Proud Boys have gone mainstream and are now the militant wing of the Republican Party. According to the article’s author, Brendon O’Conner, what separates the Proud Boys from the Alt-Right is that they actually receive recognition from prominent members of the GOP. O’Conner writes in the article that Alt-Right groups such as the Nazis, net-confederates, the KKK, and white supremacists look down on the Proud Boys as “insufficiently radical.” This, according to O’Conner is what makes the Proud Boys such a “dangerous” group because unlike Alt-Right leaders such as Richard Spencer, Andrew Anglin and Matthew Heimbach, the Proud Boys and their founder, Gavin McInnes, are more closely aligned with mainstream conservatism. O’Conner then sums up his argument that the Proud Boys have become a militant faction within the GOP by writing:

“The Proud Boys aren’t just a less overtly racist branch of the alt-right; they’ve become a militant wing of the Republican Party. Anglin and Spencer aren’t getting invited to speak at GOP events, but McInnes is; Atomwaffen Division isn’t running security for Republican candidates for Senate, but the Proud Boys are.”

O’Conner then backs his argument further by stating that the Proud Boys’ strategy has been towards:

“Appealing primarily to people’s class interests—as small business owners, for example, or as the children of families who fled socialist revolutions—as well as traditionalist gender politics, temporarily deferring the white nationalist project in the interest of swelling their ranks. As it happens, this is the strategy that has also allowed them entry into the Republican mainstream.

[Source: https://thebaffler.com/latest/boys-to-men-oconnor]

 

Identity Evropa Rollup

IE activists posted propaganda flyers in 13 cities across 11 states this week.

Atlanta, GA: Posted propaganda flyers in downtown [15 Oct]

Oklahoma City, OK: Posted propaganda flyers in downtown [15 Oct]

Jacksonville, FL: Posted propaganda flyers at the University of North Florida [16 Oct]

Chicago, IL: Posted propaganda flyers at DePaul University [16 Oct]

Salt Lake City, UT: Distributed bookmarks at the Salt Lake City Public Library [16 Oct]

Jacksonville, FL: Posted propaganda flyers [17 Oct]

Cheney, WA: Posted propaganda flyers at Eastern Washington University [18 Oct]

Laramie, WY: Posted propaganda flyers at the University of Wyoming [18 Oct]

Chicago, IL: Posted propaganda flyers [19 Oct]

Irvine, CA: Posted propaganda flyers at the University of California at Irvine [19 Oct]

Middletown, NY: Posted propaganda flyers [20 Oct]

Chickasha, OK: Posted propaganda flyers at the University of Arts & Sciences of Oklahoma [20 Oct]

New Brunswick, NJ: Posted propaganda flyers [21 Oct]

Tulsa, OK: Dropped a banner calling for the end of illegal immigration [21 Oct]

Glasgow, KY: Carved the IE logo into white pumpkins [21 Oct]

[Source: https://twitter.com/IdentityEvropa?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor]


PIR3: What are the new indicators of future politically related violence?

24 OCT: Meeting against white supremacy and violence — New York [Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/2287648834798278/]

27 OCT: #WalkAway From the Democratic Party March and Rally on Washington DC
[Source: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/walkaway-march-and-rally-on-washington-dc-gala-dinner-and-sunday-brunch-registration-49836262603?aff=eac2]

(Analyst comment: Following the midterm elections on 06 November, we can expect to see an increase in nation-wide rallies/protests/riots.)

11 NOV: Me Too Survivor’s March — Hollywood, California [Source: http://www.rallylist.com/browse-protest-and-rallies/]

17 NOV: We The People Rally — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania [Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/419562875241231/]

17 NOV: #PUSHBACK Stand Against the Proud Boys — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania [Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/171281213803986/]


PIR4: What is the current threat index score for the Alt-Left movement?

Indicators of Revolutionary Activity

Strong Indications: 6

Weak Indications: 7

No/Negligible Indications: 6

We remain at 13 total indicators, and there’s been no change in the last week.


Weekend Rollup

— Following last weekend’s brawl between members of Antifa and the Proud Boys in New York City, the New York Hate Crimes Unit has announced that they will be investigating the Proud Boys. [14 Oct [Source: https://www.newsweek.com/proud-boys-will-be-investigated-hate-crimes-unit-1168923]

— The New York Police Department will be pursuing charges against 12 people who were involved in the brawl. Three of the people facing charges are members of Antifa who were arrested prior to the fighting, while the other nine are Proud Boys. [15 Oct] [Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/proud-boys-nypd-to-pursue-charges-against-9-members-of-far-right-group-for-new-york-city-brawl-today-2018-10-15/]

— Proud Boys founder and former Fox News contributor Gavin McInnes announced that he would be arranging the surrender of the members who are currently facing charges. [19 Oct] [Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/19/nyregion/the-proud-boys-gavin-mcinnes-arrested.html]

// END REPORT

 



Mike Shelby is a former Intelligence NCO and contractor. He's now the CEO of Forward Observer.

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