Thread by @appalachresclub

Sean Kauffmann of the Tennessee Active Club wants to build a “literal underground army” of troubled teens. Meanwhile, an anonymous Telegram channel has waged a campaign of harassment & intimidation against journalists reporting on violent neo-Nazis & their teenage accomplices. 🧵

Following @jordangreennc's blistering exposé on teenage terror gang 2119 and his firsthand account of the escalating threats he's faced, individuals affiliated with the group have defended their actions, while others have attempted to distance themselves. 2/

https://twitter.com/55253258/status/1759930803851575346

In a statement to @washingtonpost reporter @willsommer, 2119 claimed their actions against Mr. Green did not constitute harassment and that Mr. Green’s reporting could “damage the lives & reputations of many well-respected men in their communities.” 3/

https://twitter.com/274294204/status/1760058222679912581

Another 2119-friendly channel - which was alluded to in Mr. Green’s story, but not named - tried to distance itself by stating they have “no official membership with 2119” while at the same time complaining about not being included in the story. 4/

A separate, but related channel - specifically created in response to the story - circulated a PDF rebuttal intended to counter Mr. Green’s “demonization” of 2119. 5/

The PDF document and an accompanying post describe how earlier this year an associate of 2119 ordered an "uninvited pizza" delivered to Mr. Green's home and how one of their “operatives” took a photo of Mr. Green as he answered the door. 6/

According to the document, Mr. Green has "decided to combine the actions of a 2119 member trolling him via telephone to the organized effort behind Tennessee Active Club and the documentation thereof by [Appalachian] Archives.” 7/

"Appalachian Archives" (AA) is the former moniker of a Telegram channel that offers operational security tips for neo-Nazis as well as opposition “research” against perceived enemies of fascism including local activists, journalists, and politicians. 8/

AA publishes doxxes that often contain private personal information, including addresses, phone numbers, and details about targets' family members. These doxxes are disseminated by AA for the sole purpose of inciting "repercussions" against their targets. 9/

Last month, AA posted a dox on Jordan Green, promising “it's not over yet” and “more to come soon.” Later that day, photos were posted of Sean Kauffmann, David Fair, Jarrett William Smith, and two others outside of Mr. Green’s home. 10/

The small group - wearing skull masks and carrying ignited road flares as torches - flanked the unmasked Kauffmann, who held a handwritten sign with the message “Freedom of press ≠ freedom from consequence.” 11/

https://twitter.com/55253258/status/1759930844213354685

In a ‘mission statement’ posted last year on Telegram alongside a stylized photo of a man in a skull mask with an assault rifle, AA threatened to “make it dangerous for the reporter to report freely” and to “expose those that attack our people.” 12/

Mr. Green is not the only journalist who has been a target of Appalachian Archives. AA has previously taken aim at the founder of progressive online publisher Tennessee Holler, reporters from Franklin’s Williamson Herald, and @NC5 investigative reporter Phil Williams. 13/

In last year's Franklin TN mayoral race, AA tried to insert themselves into the political discourse when they shared video of a 20-minute interview between TN Active Club leader Sean Kauffmann and Gabrielle Hanson campaign aide Valerie Baldes. 14/

https://twitter.com/1502890912489349121/status/1714823802763329930

The interview covered a variety of topics including TN Active Club's show of support for Hanson and the group’s January 2023 protest of a drag show in Cookeville, to which a minor Kauffmann referred to as his “young buddy” brought a swastika flag. 15/

https://twitter.com/1288579817261207553/status/1714885731070460006

During the interview, Kauffmann described TN AC as a “youth activist club,” saying it is “basically the Boy Scouts and Big Brothers & Big Sisters of America without being woke.”

Baldes offered a prompt, “Without the–” to which Kauffmann replied, “The child grooming as well.” 16/

To reiterate, Sean Kauffmann, who fancies himself as Shredder from Ninja Turtles and has been protesting outside drag shows with his swastika flag-waving "young buddy," claimed he does participate in the grooming of children. 🤨 17/

The interview also showcased an AA-produced organizational chart showing, according to Kauffmann, a “very large network” of TN politicians & journalists including the founder of the TN Holler. 18/

https://twitter.com/180094762/status/1714784402037723155

Kauffmann described @TheTNHoller founder Justin Kanew as the “ringleader of antifa & BLM” in the state. Kauffmann also accused Kanew of instigating riots and sending “goons” after people. 19/

The organizational chart - which Baldes remarked was "comprehensive" - also included TN state representatives Justin Jones & Gloria Johnson, whom Kauffmann accused of facilitating the “moral corruption of society” at the behest of Kanew. 20/

https://twitter.com/16310951/status/1715011146443260314

Printed copies of the chart, along with Patriot Front propaganda, started appearing in downtown Franklin shortly before the election, stapled to telephone poles and glued to the offices of @wherald.

Other flyers specifically targeted @NC5PhilWilliams for his reporting. 21/

https://twitter.com/15429020/status/1716831787568214321

When the Kauffmann interview did not get the media attention they had hoped for, Appalachian Archives issued a series of demands for Phil Williams and promised “repercussions” if these demands were not met. 22/

https://twitter.com/1502890912489349121/status/1716623299369685344

“This is our only warning” said one of the menacing posts. Others included AA’s signature catchphrase: “Always listening, always watching, always near.” 23/

https://twitter.com/1502890912489349121/status/1715041745312838040

The threats were largely ignored and Gabrielle Hanson was trounced in a landslide defeat in Franklin’s mayoral race.

Following multiple bans from Telegram, Appalachian Archives rebranded and launched a new channel that we are opting not to name. 24/

https://twitter.com/180094762/status/1717579264248189437

While AA now claims they have “no official membership” with 2119, they have maintained close ties with the group. As recently as January they reposted a thank you from 2119 for a previous dox on the “bastard” Jordan Green. 25/

2119 member Bozak - who operates his own Telegram channel that aims to recruit youth into white nationalism through skateboarding - encouraged his subscribers to follow Appalachian Archives, referring to AA as his "buddy." 26/

TN Active Club’s ties to 2119 - and Bozak in particular - are extensive. Aiden Cuevas, aka Bozak, once claimed membership in TN AC and joined them at a July 2023 protest against @splcenter in Montgomery AL. 27/

https://twitter.com/1502890912489349121/status/1735692373726798165

The blink-and-you-missed-it flash mob at @splcenter included members of Smoky Mountain & Southern Sons Active Clubs and the Vinland Rebels (VR).

In a group pic posted to Gab, Cuevas can be seen throwing a Roman salute between Christopher Lee Swan of VR & Sean Kauffmann. 28/

Cuevas has also participated in several “training sessions” with TN AC - including several held at Lewis Country Store - and has appeared in group pics & video montages with his friend & sparring partner Brandon Crews, aka “Dean.” 29/

Brandon Crews is not only a member of TN Active Club, but is also affiliated with 2119 and NC-based Automata with Cuevas & Andrew Nary.

Originally from Charlotte NC, Crews relocated to Mississippi sometime after a pair of shoplifting arrests in 2021. 30/

A Feb. 2023 arrest report for public drunkenness in Colbert County, AL listed the 22-year old Crews as living in Iuka MS near the TN state line, which is about 70 miles southwest of Linden where Sean Kauffmann runs TN Active Club from his mom’s house. 31/

An individual resembling Crews appeared in a recent 2119 post commemorating the 1862 Battle of Iuka. Photos taken around the same time show Kauffmann’s teenaged acolyte in similar attire outside the Old Tishomingo County courthouse in downtown Iuka MS. 32/

Kauffmann’s teenage terrorist-in-training, whom we are not identifying due to his minor age, has made appearances with TN AC going back to November 2022 when he first appeared with Kauffmann to protest drag shows in Chattanooga & Maryville. 33/

https://twitter.com/1288579817261207553/status/1597637320572039169

A few months later, the teen - Kauffmann's aforementioned “young buddy” - appeared in Cookeville waving a swastika flag.

He & Brandon Crews were also part of the TN AC contingent that provided “security” for Gabrielle Hanson during an Oct 2023 candidate forum. 34/

https://twitter.com/16041234/status/1652939701479776257

In August 2023, Kauffmann & his acolyte traveled to Southern California where the now 17-year-old participated in the Frontier 2.0 punch & kick fest between the Active Clubs & Patriot Front. 35/

The teenager - sporting a brand new swastika tattoo - won his debut fight at the tournament and later showed off his medal in Bozak’s skateboarder Nazi chat. 36/

Another 2119 member cozy with TN AC is an individual who was known on Telegram as Angry Fascist. In early 2023, photos of Angry Fascist & Cuevas appeared in a 2119 post showing the former wearing a distinctive black denim jacket with a fleece collar. 37/

An individual wearing what appears to be an identical jacket showed up on March 17, 2023 in Lexington KY with Kauffmann & TN Active Club for a protest in support of a University of Kentucky student who was charged with assault in a racist attack on a fellow student. 38/

The jacket appears to be a black Diesel brand denim jacket with a fleece-lined collar shown here for example.

It should also be noted that the jacket is similar to one worn by Ian Ziering in Sharknado 6. 🤡 39/

On March 19, 2023, just two days after the Lexington KY protest, multiple homes in Nashville’s Sylvan Park neighborhood were vandalized with swastikas & hate messages. Ring camera footage of the incident shows at least two suspects in masks including one in a familiar jacket. 40/

https://twitter.com/16639736/status/1637789888761278464

Although the Ring footage from Nashville is blurry & the colors are distorted, details of the jacket that are visible include the overall fit, the shape of the collar, and a distinctive shield-shaped patch on the right sleeve - all details which match photos of Angry Fascist. 41/

On April 2, 2023, two weeks after the Nashville graffiti incident, Angry Fascist turned up at a “joint training session” held in the private gym above Lewis Country Store with TN Active Club and the Vinland Rebels along with members of the National Justice Party (NJP). 42/

https://twitter.com/29770501/status/1664353621348327424

In a Telegram chat that evening, recently ID’d NJP stooge Carson Kilgrey thanked Kauffmann for inviting him to the punch & kick sesh. Angry Fascist later chimed in asking about Kilgrey to which Kauffmann responded, “He was there with us today lolz.” 43/

https://twitter.com/1225968167161233408/status/1757827246205612249

That weekend, Nashville experienced a rash of hate across the city, first with an NJP demonstration at the state capitol and later with antisemitic laser projections on the AT&T building by GDL trolls Sienna Kitchen & Matthew Curnutte. 44/

https://twitter.com/1225968167161233408/status/1704540314130624830

Something much more sinister also happened the night of April 1 when unknown assailants fired multiple rounds at the home of Tennessee Holler founder Justin Kanew.

No one was hurt in the incident and no arrests have been made. 45/

nashvillescene.com/news/pithinthe…

It is unknown if the incident is linked to TN Active Club or Appalachian Archives, but it underscores the dangers faced by journalists and news outlets.

Fear, intimidation, and threats of or actual violence to achieve political ends and silence critics is terrorism. 46/

https://twitter.com/55253258/status/1760057509908246910

Since this thread started with Ninja Turtles, it feels only fitting to end it with pizza. There is one detail from Mr. Green's reporting of the "uninvited pizza" incident from January that caught our eye. 47/

As Mr. Green answered the door, someone parked down the street with a telephoto lens snapped a photo of him which was later posted on Appalachian Archives. 48/

Interestingly enough, a man wearing a fur trapper hat and skull mask - armed with a telephoto lens - was spotted alongside Sean Kauffmann & Patriot Front in Chattanooga in November 2022. 🤔 49/

https://twitter.com/1288579817261207553/status/1597637876803854336

We will be shining some more light on AA in the coming weeks, but in the meantime we have a message for our Appalachian "buddy" who we know is watching.

We see you.

We're watching too. Always listening. And getting nearer.

@threadreaderapp unroll please