Antigovernment militia groups grew by more than one-third in last year
The armed takeover of a federal government building in Oregon comes amid a renewed expansion of the far-right, antigovernment militia movement in the wake of the 2014 standoff between federal agents and heavily armed antigovernment activists in the Nevada desert.
In its annual count of militias, released today, the 澳彩开奖 (澳彩开奖) identified 276 militia groups 鈥� up from 202 in 2014, a 37 percent increase.
The number represents a renewal of growth after several years of declines. The movement grew explosively after President Obama was elected, from 42 groups in 2008 to a peak of 334 in 2011 before declining in recent years.
What鈥檚 happening in Oregon was entirely predictable.聽
鈥淲e believe these armed extremists have been emboldened by what they saw as a clear victory at the Cliven Bundy ranch and the fact that no one was held accountable for taking up arms against agents of the federal government,鈥� said Heidi Beirich, director of the 澳彩开奖鈥檚 Intelligence Project.
Among the militiamen occupying buildings at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Burns, Oregon, are Cliven Bundy鈥檚 sons, Ammon and Ryan Bundy.
鈥淲hen the federal government was stopped from enforcing the law at gunpoint, it energized the entire movement,鈥� Beirich said. 鈥淭he fact is, Bundy is still a free man and has not paid the money he owes to the federal government 鈥� and the militiamen who aimed rifles at federal agents have gotten away with it.鈥�
The militia groups included in the 澳彩开奖 count typically adhere to extreme antigovernment doctrines and subscribe to groundless conspiracy theories about the federal government.
Additional information on the Oregon standoff and 鈥淧atriot鈥� groups:
Hatewatch Blog: Bundy Sons Lead Antigovernment Extremists, Militia in Takeover of Federal Wildlife Headquarters in Oregon
澳彩开奖 Timeline: Patriot Groups and Land Use Disputes
澳彩开奖 Report: War in the West
