A pending society . Threatening institutions . We got a look at it. And thats what we are doing today. Irrelevantcredibly groups with look at, so long as we are looking at the principles that threaten peoples lives. Some of these Extremist Movements come from ideologies that are decades old, others are relatively new. These threats range from to morelized networks structured militia groups. Is oneernment extremism of the Common Threads that we often see overlap with antiblack, antimuslim, bringing these extremists into who areause with others extremist in nature. Together, we have a collective opportunity to discuss the torent Threat Landscape develop an understanding of have a florist in our communities and air my space. And in our mind space. A man in texas was arrested after streaming himself on Facebook Live searching for Law Enforcement officers to ambush. In may and june, a man in california shot and killed a federal protective Service Officer and wounded one more. He wrote the words in blood after carrying out a second murder. Men were arrested while reportedly on their way to inflict violence at a black lives matter protest in las vegas. Arrestedan in oklahoma and found in possession of illegally modified machine guns. All of whom appear to be connected to the movement. The list goes on and on and on. Today that wetant dont lose sight of the ways in which acceleration of movement intersects in our popular and other extremist groups. Often come to mind to groups that weve looked at, we are going to be asking some really critical questions today. Hell done, is what the we do about this . What is Law Enforcement do, what does the federal government do, what can and should social media do . What do we do in a collaborative way, what do we do in a mandatory way . We are going to share responsibility across the public and private sectors. The lives of our Law Enforcement officials are on the line. Citizens of innocent who are congregating in protest are on the line. In so many ways, the future of this country and the constitution are on the line. With that, the chair now recognizes the Ranking Member, the jim demint from north carolina, mr. Walker. The gentleman from north carolina, mr. Walker. Thank you, mr. Chairman. There is no doubt that across the globe there is an uptick in extremist ideology, particularly linked to violent White Supremacy. As a committee created after 9 11, we must focus on the continued jihadist threat. We are seeing the adoption of acceleration is rhetoric with calls to try to get government institutions and Law Enforcement for adherence to commit acts of violence as a means of creating unrest. We see this concept in what the movements, antigovernment groups, and some environmental organizations. The sharing of tactic and propaganda, the spreading of misinformation and conspiracies as well as the celebration of violence. Should start with expressing my sincere condolences to the families of david underwood, a dhs protective Security Officer and a Santa Cruz County deputy that the chairman just mentioned. They were both murdered in the light of duty in late may and early june. I also want to express a hope for the speedy recovery of their colleagues who were injured in these attacks. Be suspects believed to responsible and that arrested and the fbi is conducting a full investigation, including into the links and possible support for the Boogaloo Movement which is an accelerationist term. These attacks are on all americans. Knows like antifa, and i that seems to be a conservative talking point, but its not. The damage they are doing. A reporter my office, i can still see the injuries. There has been a consistent effort by antifa supporters to infiltrate protests to lay siege to government buildings and Law Enforcement. Violencend alone, the has cost the city tens of insecurity dollars, as well as the damage done. These are the kinds of things that we must stand together regardless of the politics. In seattle, there is a core effort to deny the antifa movement. We need to move forward with the reality that antifa is not an organization. We understand that. But it is a movement, and ideology and a call for violence. The people involved in the continued violence around the city are certainly part of his movements. I think thats why this hearing is crucial today. File extremists on all sides, they are attending to hijack the protest on institutional reforms. Some are targeting protesters, some are attacking Police Officers, many are vandalizing government buildings and others are seeking to create these socalled atomics owns. We endeavor to condemn the violence and restore order. I think the witnesses for appearing before the subcommittee today. I look forward to your testimony and i yield back my time. I thank the Ranking Member. A reminder, the subcommittee will operate according to the guidelines laid out by the chairman and Ranking Member. The chair now recognize the chairman from mississippi for an opening statement. In his absence, the chair now recognizes the gentleman from alabama for an opening statement. Theres chairman thompson. Chairman thompson is here, we recognize you for your opening statement. Thank you very much. I thank you for convening this hearing today, and for your leadership on these issues. This committee is known for following the threats wherever they may lead. Today, that brings us here. This hearing provides us with an opportunity to examine the emerging threat of violent antigovernment extremists. I believe todays hearing is the first congressional hearing to focus specifically on the emerging threat of the accelerationists and i applaud chairman rose for examining this issue. It is important that members and the American Public hear from these experts today to understand those emerging threats. Recent attacks and arrests have showcased the threats from individuals affiliated with the Boogaloo Movement, the coalition of extremists who present an immediate danger to Law Enforcement and american people. As our experts have shared in their written testimony, this movement is complex and requires a nuanced understanding. The Boogaloo Network as a whole appears to be largely antigovernment, constantly changing, and drawing followers from many different extremist ideologies. The Common Thread is the desire to accelerate society toward a second civil war. That means that many of them are driven to commit violence. It is imperative the department of Homeland Security and other fellow agencies immediately devote resources toward understanding these emerging threats. Understand that this is a difficult issue, but it is not acceptable for dhs to remain in the dark. Law enforcement officials remain a top target of these individuals and extremists which means it is even more urgent for dhs to produce and disseminate with state and local Law Enforcement so they can stay ahead of the threat. Resources and attention must be appropriately allocated. We should not be swayed by political ends. It goes without saying that Property Damage and any and all violence linked to antifa should be condemned. Public reporting arrest records, the governments own reporting indicates that rightwing extremists pose a more urgent and lethal threat to americans. Who here today we are here today we will hear today from those experts about the threats facing americans. How the violent fringes of these movements have utilized to their advantage. This has been a major concern of mine over the last congress, and one of the reasons i introduced 4782, the National Commission on Online Platforms and Homeland Security act that would seek to understand how bad actors including extremists exploit Online Platforms. This bipartisan piece of legislation was voted out of his 2019. Tee in october, this committee will continue to shed light on how social media platform are exploited and also Companies Accountable when they fail to enforce the policies set forth to combat extremism. Jordanciate those of us yesterday today and thanked chairman rose for convening this hearing and i yield back. Thank you, mr. Chairman. I now welcome our panel of extraordinary witnesses. First, one of the foremost experts on antigovernment extremism and militia groups. , second, dr. Heidi byurick executive Vice President of the Global Project against hate and extremism. More than two decades of experience fighting extremism. Our third and final witness is jack donahue, a fellow at brokerage University Breckenridge university. Experienceeadth of from his time in nypd. Thank you for your Extraordinary Service to new york city with the men in blue. The greatest Police Department not only in the history of the country, but i believe the history of the world. Thank you for your Extraordinary Service. Witnessbjection, the full names will be instated in the record. I now ask each witness to make a statement for five minutes. Thank you. Chairman rose, Ranking Member water, and distinguished members of the subcommittee, thank you for giving the opportunity to testify today. The remarks and opinions im going to express are my own. Im here to talk about the militant segment of the antigovernment Extremist Movement. People who want to change or topple the country by force or threat of force. Like any large movement, this group go through cycles and must follow in the 2016 election, all right and White Supremacy groups, there is a meteor rise. Militant extremists either joined these movements or when relatively quiet. In general, the approve of the current administration. However, renew conversations about gun control laws, threats from the covid19 pandemic, extreme divisiveness plaguing the Upcoming Elections have triggered a recent reverb. The movement is not monolithic. The oath keepers membership include Police Officers and military veterans has shifted from armed standoffs to providing support to Small Businesses violating state harm pandemic orders. And organizing armed guards to protect neighborhoods from violence. The 3 ers is a hybrid between a Militia Network and a gun club. This group leaves they only needed 3 of americans to overthrow the current u. S. Government. Each subgroup is independent of the others and there is no leadership for structures. It has kept them from becoming a force. The militia is a much smaller segment of the business. Scattered throughout the country, engaged in armed training, have a relatively organized structure and even though many states prohibit their activities, they operate with impunity. The idea of a second American Revolution where armed patriots rise up and overthrow a tyrannical government has been the dream of extremists for decades. Most call this the second American Revolution. Members of the weapons board renamed it the boogaloo which later turned into big luau and big igloo. Supporters were hawaiian shirts under their body armor and the look went viral. Other militants started copying the shirts and jargon. For most it was just an in joke, a tribal aesthetic that separated those who were in the know from those who were not. Most boogaloo members are libertarian anarchists who hate cops. The goal is to hasten the collapse of the government through attacks on police. These are the major players, how they react to Current Events raises many red flags. Im worried that any attempt to pass guncontrol regulation could trigger violence. This could include red flag laws, bans on certain types of rifles or any legislation that is viewed as a foot the door leading to gun confiscation. Another potential issue is the covid19 pandemic which is placing significant stress on extremist groups. If states return to lockdown status, i am concerned that individuals and small groups will lash out quietly against the government, Law Enforcement, medical professionals, essential workers, contact tracers and medical infrastructure. Some militants driven by conspiracy theories have already turned to armed resistance and have taken up guns to protect Business Owners who want to violate stayathome orders. Michigan has been a hotspot for such activity, and in may the state had to cancel legislative sessions because of the threat. I am also concerned for the upcoming election that will spark violent events if the president loses his reelection bid. The risk that worries me most, i am concerned that there will be a shootout at one of the black lives matter protests. There are too many guns at these events held by too many groups with conflicting goals. You can find the oath takers taking to the streets to protect police or businesses from antifa for when boogaloo joined forces with black lives matter against the police, adding the National Guard and federal agencies and rights the premises groups along with a growing number of leftwing militants and volunteer armed guards, there is the potential street war growing. There are militant groups and individuals willing to shootout or bomb police and protesters just to get that war started so they can use the chaos to accelerate their own plans for revolution. These groups know they need a catalyst, a big event. They need a ruby ridge or waco so they can be the next mcveigh. Most are waiting for the big event but there are some that will do what they have to to force this occurrence. Thank you for your time. Chairman rose thank you for your testimony. We will now recognize mr. Donohue. Thank you very much. Good morning members of the subcommittee and chair thompson. I am john donohue, recently retired threestar chief from the new york city Police Department for 32 years of patrol, intelligence and strategy. The opinions im giving are my own. I am testifying to discuss safety concerns and challenges for Law Enforcement made by the growing phenomenon of militia extremism and the power of online movements to influence violent actions domestically. The use of social media is documented. These platforms are mobile and ubiquitous. In the United States, we cherish the right for freedom of speech and assembly and social media has been embraced by many to share ideas and opinions on any topic at any time. What is recently observable from social media data is that there is an exponential growth in participation in the cyber social domain coalesced around a revolutionary and extremist themes at either ends of the ideological spectrum. Those extremists have Law Enforcement squarely in their sights. In the early stages of the isis caliphate to motivate some youth and disaffected to support devices, we know the recruitment started on the social media platforms and moved to encrypted communications to shield criminal conversations from authorities. The same cycle is happening domestically with militia movements on the far right and far left. A report i coauthored in may on the Network ContagionResearch Institute shows that on social media memes become viral and evolved, plant hateful and revolutionary ideas in the public eye often disguised as inside jokes. The boogaloo code word for revolution is an example of that movement. In protests over the lockdowns, followers played out their inside jokes, wearing hawaiian shirts and carrying semi automatic rifles. Memes shared on the Message Boards game if i assaults on Law Enforcement, encouraging violence through jargon known in the gaming committee. While it appears in a forthcoming report, we had records showing antiplease messaging and other farleft media spaces where they have seen special growths in the most recent period of exponential growth in the most recent period of unrest in america. These antigovernment messages have broken into Mainstream Media on facebook and twitter. Memes advocating murder of Law Enforcement and slogans found on the internet used by the farleft were scrawled on defaced monuments and buildings across america. Memes instructing peaceful protests that can be used as tactical subterfuge for violent action are being widely circulated on social media. What is apparent regardless of ideology is that assaults on and the murder of Law Enforcement that occurred during the recent civil unrest were motivated in part by the themes in the memes and the slogans. It is not unusual for police to be the subject of protest. There has always been inherent tension between Law Enforcement and protest because police ar