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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01.12.2021 LE Alert - January 17 RalliesFOR INTERNAL LAW ENFORCEMENT USE ONLY. DO NOT DISTRIBUTE WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM THE ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE FOR INTERNAL LAW ENFORCEMENT USE ONLY. DO NOT DISTRIBUTE WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM THE ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE ADL PRE-EVENT ASSESSMENT Event: #J17 (amongst other names on fliers attached below) Where: State Capitols Nationwide When: January 17, 2021, beginning at noon Ideology: Boogaloo, possible attendance from extreme pro-Trump supporters Notable expected participants: Relevant websites: http://treeofliberty.me/ Though the boogaloo movement is highly decentralized, the boogaloo website “Tree of Liberty” describes itself as the boogaloo movement’s press platform. In November 2020, members of the boogaloo movement announced plans via the Tree of Liberty website to hold the “largest armed protest” on American soil on January 17 to advocate “for the rights and freedoms of all people in the United States.” The events were scheduled to take place in Washington, DC as well as in state capitols across the country at noon. On January 10, the Tree of Liberty announced that the rally in Washington DC has been cancelled in response to the events of January 6. However, the other protests at state capitols remain scheduled and organizers have asked people to peacefully assemble while observing local laws and ordinances. Organizers encouraged people to carry firearms if they are legally able to do so. This event was planned long before the storming of the U.S. Capitol and the organizers have criticized the behavior of those protestors, emphasizing that they have no interest in another armed takeover or engaging in any violence. As they wrote, “Do not allow January 6th to repeat, this is not a MAGA march. Do not allow political identity lay claim to hijack the message of the rally.” In another post, they wrote, “Contingencies in place will prevent an infiltration of the event and there will be absolutely no resemblance to the events on January 6th”. The organizers of the event do not support President Trump, nor do they care about the election. They intended the rallies to get the American people to unite together and stand in opposition to the government and restore liberties. On a podcast, one member of the Tree of Liberty took to answering questions regarding the event and said, “The point of the 17th is going to be about is to try and show that we need to stop feeding into the division that the mainstream media is putting out there and it’s being put out there by the government.” Different fliers for the events since shared on social media have emphasized various aspects of the rally. Among the topics that the fliers have advertised: the Second Amendment, media sources spreading propaganda, body autonomy (i.e. anti-vax, reproductive rights, anti-masks, legalization of weed), mass incarceration/unequal justice, trampling of the People’s rights, shutdown measures, among others. Despite these sentiments, the boogaloo movement still adheres to an inherently violent ideology, one that revels in talks of civil war and mass violence, and several of its supporters have been arrested for violent plots up to FOR INTERNAL LAW ENFORCEMENT USE ONLY. DO NOT DISTRIBUTE WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM THE ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE and including murder. In the wake of the storming of the Capitol, many boogaloo supporters cheered on the mob’s violent actions and lamented that they were not involved. Wrote one supporter on Twitter, “This shit is just the beginning. We will not stop! Fuck these politicians asking for this to end. WE WANT [blood emoji].” Wrote another on the encrypted messenger KeyBase, “Sad a bunch of boomer ass Trumpers doing more than all the meme makers [referring to boogaloo supporters]. Maybe they will actually do something like hang a few tyrants from light poles…Trumpers are making ALL BOOJAHIDEEN look bad.” As such, any gathering of boogaloo supporters presents a security threat. Federal law enforcement agencies are aware of the events planned for January 17. On January 11, several media outlets reported that the FBI released a memo warning about the existence of these rallies and on December 29, 2020, the FBI put out a Situational Information Report (SIR) that contained information collected from collaborative sources that detailed possible violent intent in connection with the January 17. The SIR described a cell in Minnesota that conducted surveillance at the Minnesota State Capitol building to identify escape points and defensible positions in the event that violence broke out and identified possible law enforcement sniper positions. The cell also allegedly discussed breaking into federal buildings to use them as firing positions. Though members of the cell did discuss the use of force if violence broke out, they were not planning to conduct an attack. The SIR also identifies a boogaloo follower in Michigan that suggested using a gasoline-based device with a tripwire in Lansing, Michigan, to cause a distraction that would allow others to “take” the capitol. There is no further information regarding this individual or his statement. While the original flier mentioned protests in all 50 states and some fliers have since spread that specifically mention rallies in certain state capitols, at this time there is not a notable conversation surrounding these rallies and there is little public logistical planning. A few individuals in private chats have indicated that they will be attending various events; however, there is no common event page that would give a sense of the expected attendance. The relatively muted leadup to the events does not mean that they will be small. For one, there are several more formal boogaloo cells located across the country and they may be using encrypted messaging services to communicate privately. Secondly the fact that the protests are happening in state capitols across the country and not in one specific place means that there is less coordination needed to secure rides or lodging. Further complicating the situation is the fact that although the public conversation regarding this event among the boogaloo movement is minimal and the event is intended to be non-partisan, the fliers have been circulating in pro-Trump circles. It is possible that others latch onto the event and use it as an opportunity to publicly express their displeasure with the election once more. However, once more there is no evidence at this time to suggest that is happening. FOR INTERNAL LAW ENFORCEMENT USE ONLY. DO NOT DISTRIBUTE WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM THE ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE FOR INTERNAL LAW ENFORCEMENT USE ONLY. DO NOT DISTRIBUTE WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM THE ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE FOR INTERNAL LAW ENFORCEMENT USE ONLY. DO NOT DISTRIBUTE WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM THE ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE NB: The Washington, DC, event has been cancelled since this image was released. Except as specifically noted (with the written designation “PUBLIC”), the enclosed documents contain confidential and sensitive information, including commercial information, customer lists (such as rosters) competitively sensitive and proprietary information, and trade secrets, the disclosure of which may cause significant economic harm to the Anti-Defamation League and/or its contributors. Additionally, pursuant to 5 USCS §552(b)(7), these documents contain information compiled for law en forcement purposes and their release could interfere with enforcement proceedings, could disclose the identity of a confidential source, would disclose techniques for law enforcement investigations or prosecutions, or could endanger the life or safety of individuals. We also respectfully request that we be notified if your agency considers disclosing the documents or any of the information contained herein to a third party under the Freedom of Information Act ("FOIA") and state analogues. 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