Revealed: major anti-lockdown group's links to America's far right

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Revealed: major anti-lockdown group's links to America's far right

American Revolution 2.0, which presents itself as bipartisan, has been assisted by far-right individuals – some with extremist links

Jason Wilson and Robert Evans
@jason_a_w
Fri 8 May 2020 16.55 BST
Last modified on Fri 8 May 2020 19.40 BST

Leaked audio recordings and online materials obtained by the Guardian reveal that one of the most prominent anti-lockdown protest groups, American Revolution 2.0 (AR2), has received extensive assistance from well-established far-right actors, some with extremist connections.

AR2 presents itself as a grassroots network, but the recordings and other materials reveal its allies include a well-connected Tea Party co-founder and a family of serial online activists who have rolled out dozens of “reopen” websites and Facebook groups.

Its website was built and is hosted by a web designer long active in far-right circles online, and who runs a bespoke social media network for the militia movement. One of that website’s previous users bombed a mosque, and another user, now memorialized on the site, was recently shot dead by police in Maryland during a firearms raid.

Josh Ellis is the leader of AR2, which has driven anti-lockdown protests across the country, and presented itself as a spontaneous uprising. In videos posted to YouTube, the AR2 website, and across anti-lockdown Facebook groups, Ellis has presented the movement as inclusive and bipartisan, and himself as a conservative everyman.

-snip-

But in recordings of Ellis speaking to an inner circle of AR2 members last week, he detailed the help he had received from other players, including radical pro-gun and militia activists.

Ellis told the group, whose Facebook profile picture is the logo of the Three Percent militia, that in recent days he had “talked to the Dorr brothers”.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/08/lockdown-groups-far-right-links-coronavirus-protests-american-revolution

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Why am I not surprised?

[AllaN01Bear]

2. monies fed by trump

[Va Lefty]

3. What's the line from Casablanca?

" I'm shocked, shocked to find out there is gambling going on here."

[John1956PA]

6. "Round up the usual suspects." n/t

[SheltieLover]

4. K&R!

[Frustratedlady]

5. There is much more in the article.

The Guardian always seems to have more information than our media...or, at least, information they pass on.

This whole thing is scary with the election right around the corner and our attention on the pandemic. Perhaps I read it all wrong, but it seems they are organizing more?