Understanding the Militia Movement
Key Points on the Militia Movement 2020
From Anti-Defamation League
The militia movement is a right-wing anti-government extremist movement that formed in 1993-1994, primarily in reaction to federal gun control measures and to deadly standoffs between civilians and federal agents. Much of the movement focuses on paramilitary activities.
Militia movement adherents have traditionally believed that the federal government is collaborating with a shadowy conspiracy (the “New World Order”) to strip Americans of their rights, starting with their right to keep and bear arms. Once rendered defenseless, Americans would be absorbed into the tyrannical New World Order’s one-world government.
The movement grew rapidly in the 1990s but suffered a serious decline in the early 2000s. However, beginning in 2008 the militia movement enjoyed a major resurgence that attracted thousands of new, often young, recruits. It has been quite active in the years since.
The 2016 election of Donald Trump changed the emphasis of the militia movement, which strongly supported Trump’s candidacy. After Trump’s election, the movement was less interested in opposing the federal government and spent much of its energy looking for other perceived enemies, such as antifa. In 2020, the movement focused on opposition to state-level gun control measures, state-level pandemic-related restrictions and Black Lives Matter protests.
The militia movement has a long history of serious criminal activity, including murders, armed standoffs, terroristic threats against public officials, illegal weapons or explosives and terrorist plots or acts.
For the full report, read here: ADL Militia Movement 2020