Thread by @karamballes

🧵The parallels of these increasingly threatening groups in many countries is not a coincidence.

If we look at the rise of far right militia groups in the US that were emboldened by Trump, the far right have siezed the opportunity provided to them by the pandemic

https://twitter.com/rodneyedwards/status/1447092391568191489

2/ Pre-Pandemic, when Bannon left Trumps side he went to create an international alt-right movement, meeting with far right parties in other countries to develop links and cross border cooperation

The aim, to radicalise ppl into being willing to engage in political violence

3/ They tried this during the difficult Brexit negotiations. When parliament was prorogued there was a coordinated attempt online to try and gather army veterans into a militia to "fight for freedom"

How to build a rabbit hole echo chamber at a rush⬇️

https://twitter.com/marcowenjones/status/1169732922582212609?t=GBabuttmf54q6qSAB4y-Yg&s=19

4/ So unfortunately it wasn't a suprise when a reporter recently infiltrated a skeptic group to find that they were discussing bombing vaccination centres

https://twitter.com/karamballes/status/1432795938666524677?t=69n2_kyw3F-k2ZH1CUOr2g&s=19

5/ Whats incredibly frustrating is how RW media in the UK adopt the language of these groups, even platform some of these people giving them legitimacy.

They say it won't happen here, until it happens, then they wring hands and ask "how did this happen here"

6/ They run headlines like Enemies of the people and Traitors then blame it all on the Internet when an MP is murdered by a RW extremist

They are doing the same with the pandemic, platforming disinformation and the people organising the threats to schools

7/ Pre-pandemic Qanon set out to start franchising, trying to set up chapters around Europe.

After George Floyd's death and the toppling of a slavers statue we saw UK media using the language of Qanon.

2020 was a good year for conspiracy theorists

https://twitter.com/karamballes/status/1272607966601056256?t=P5IRnY5bBxEZiGpgU1fr8A&s=19

8/ The HART logs show members taking Qanon ideas seriously, the Great Reset, intentional depopulation narratives are taken seriously by them.

Anti-vax/skeptic movement overlaps with the far right, same methods, seek to create distrust, "only trust us"

https://twitter.com/karamballes/status/1432482157101035522?t=K_mNEQX9U_jee1EfpnEubQ&s=19

9/ Americas Frontline Doctors are a good example of a blending of the far right, antivax and alternative treatments, bringing in big profits while inciting hate with disinformation

Links to Qanon and the militias, founder was arrested over Capitol Hill

https://twitter.com/karamballes/status/1431590345951809540?t=K_mNEQX9U_jee1EfpnEubQ&s=19

10/ Yet here we have a mainstream journalist who has actively worked with covid disinformation groups retweeting the founder of America's Frontline Doctors.

Its time UK media started calling out those in their ranks promoting extremists

https://twitter.com/karamballes/status/1442788571103076354?t=JB1PLO2hvWNXk7Ty9AS31Q&s=19

11/ Look at the messaging being platformed over children vax
Murky, Sinister etc as they misrepresent JCVIs statement, turning "marginal personal benefit" into "no benefit at all"
Express promoted the campaign sending threatening letters to Headteachers!

https://twitter.com/karamballes/status/1438505124997914639?t=JB1PLO2hvWNXk7Ty9AS31Q&s=19

12/ We have MPs praising and quoting the groups pushing the narrative that the government has an alternative agenda for vaccinating children.

They are adding credibility to these claims, growing distrust in state institutions, aiding radicalisation

https://twitter.com/karamballes/status/1441706595520503810?t=yGFaWetnAUUsdPWhoLHUbg&s=19

13/ Its quite alarming just how many Tory MPs are willing to meet and support groups engaging in disinformation and inciting hatred.

https://twitter.com/karamballes/status/1443965128890793987?t=yGFaWetnAUUsdPWhoLHUbg&s=19

14/ Its an attack on democracy, undermining institutions, and also focusing anger on the public sector workers facing brunt of the pandemic.

Fagan from Cambridge Analytica tried ramping up the mobs we saw outside hospitals claiming they were empty

https://twitter.com/TheCraneReport/status/1442158473584783364?t=d1-dt65NlnAsoadnmIV9mQ&s=19

15/ While some focus on suggesting insulate Britain are domestic terrorists the anti vax situation is becoming increasingly alarming.

Hoax bomb threats, schools vandalised, attempts to break in to disrupt vaccinations, its not stopping anytime soon

https://twitter.com/karamballes/status/1447166183443243008?t=_79Jb2Ms7APv_VW0AEyZnQ&s=19

16/ The radicalised aren't going to dissipaite, the ones driving this have used the pandemic for their own agendas, developed an international network, fostered political links, built up their street troops.

Where do we go from here?

https://twitter.com/bakerstherald/status/1446727489787678721?t=JjSKKpMK_JQirKVQqxjq9w&s=19

17/ Pleased the Citizens are covering the street protests

https://twitter.com/carolecadwalla/status/1447257158723178501?t=NkMxMAau36EpqyieYUtPZA&s=19

18/ Starting to look like the only difference now between the UK groups and the US militias is acces to firearms

https://twitter.com/PozzyWozzy/status/1447277622031945734?t=__wjeBgCD6P7CQgyFZAumA&s=19