Neo-Nazi militia groups like the Proud Boys are actively spreading hate and inciting violence at peaceful protests. The Intercept was the first to report on an unredacted FBI threat assessment warning that white supremacists are infiltrating local law enforcement.
When Donald Trump refused to condemn violent white supremacists at this week’s debate, it wasn’t just more of the same rhetoric — it was dangerous.
Trump also bragged of the support of “almost every law enforcement group in the United States.” As The Intercept has reported, police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, actively encouraged the pro-Trump militia that ended up killing two protesters.
These vigilantes were paying attention when Trump told them to “stand back and stand by.” Immediately, the founder of the Proud Boys was online celebrating the president’s “shout out” and pledging to “deal with antifa” and “go fuck them up.”
As Election Day — and the disturbing possibility of armed intimidation at polling places — grows nearer, we can’t afford to let this story fly beneath the radar. Our reporters are continuing to investigate the links between right-wing terrorists and law enforcement agencies — but we need your financial support to keep digging.
Trump has steadfastly refused to condemn white supremacist vigilante groups and aligned with the hard-right edge of American law enforcement. He garnered endorsements in his 2016 run for office from unions representing Border Patrol agents, ICE officers, and the Fraternal Order of Police.
That courtship has continued into 2020, with the NYPD’s Police Benevolent Association, which represents 24,000 officers, throwing its support behind the president.
Then in Philadelphia earlier this summer, a meeting between Vice President Mike Pence and the local police union also featured members of the Proud Boys.
Our reporting has found that these self-styled vigilantes have gathered under the banner of the “thin blue line” — a flag and movement devoted to the defense of law enforcement and the president — and engaged in violence with counterprotesters while police stand back.
This isn’t just about Donald Trump. Any increase in police and paramilitary violence contributes to an atmosphere of fear and intimidation that threatens our democratic freedoms.
No other news outlet is tracking this rising domestic terror threat like the team at The Intercept. But we count on donations from readers to power this essential investigative reporting.
