The Oath Keepers found members in all corners of Massachusetts, from the Berkshires to the Cape and Islands. Their first major showdown with the government occurred in 2011 in the town ofQuartzsite, Arizona. In 2015, Rhodes said they would protect notorious Kentucky clerk Kim Davis from arrest. The Interior Board of Land Appeals decided the miners were allowed to operate the mine while their appeal was being considered. Springdale, Washington, December 2015: Schuyler Barbeau, who was filmed in at least one video while wearing Oath Keeper attire and shared several posts in favor of Oath Keeper Charles Dyer (see below), was arrested after he tried to sell a short-barreled rifle he had converted into an illegal machine gun to an individual secretly working with law enforcement. A District of Columbia judge sentenced Kokesh to two years probation on the shotgun charge in November 2013. Opaliski was given a prison sentence of one year and a day. This militaristic group consists of national leadership and state, county and local chapters scattered across the country. He should be tried for treason before a jury of his peers which he would deny you. Throughout 2020, the group has also posted several calls to action in places like Washington D.C., New Orleans and Texas, looking for volunteers to protect monuments across the United States, arguing that these measures were needed to protect the monuments from Marxist domestic enemies who were seeking to destroy American history. The ADL has summarized the Oath Keepers' main points, noting the group mainly adheres to a general anti-government plan. But we will spot, document, and reportanyapparent attempt at vote fraud or voter intimidation as is our duty.. Thats why Oath Keepers will be posted outside of D.C. Weve got some of our best men working on the plan right now for where were going to be. The Oath Keepers did not have 25,000 soldiers at the ready. Huff was given a four-year prison sentence. The Pacific Patriots Network also includes antigovernment extremist groups aligned with the Three Percenters, and the Oath Keepers contingent is the very same chapter that took part in Operation Gold Rush in Oregon in 2015. At a rally in Lexington, Massachusetts on April 19 . The Oath Keepers leader, Stewart Rhodes, has posted various livestreams on the groups website claiming that undocumented immigrants are part of a larger plan to flood the United States with Democratic voters to shatter the American social system. The Oath Keepers are part of the militia movement, a subsection of the broader antigovernment Patriot movement which consists of sovereign citizens and tax protesters, among others that believes the federal government has been coopted by a shadowy conspiracy that is trying to strip Americans of their rights. Following a 2011 no contest plea, Fairfield received a 16year sentence. The deep state conspiracy helps create space for the Oath Keepers to address the dissonance created by their opposition to the federal government and their support for President Trump by reframing events as a struggle between President Trump, who is trying to help the people, and a deep state that is seeking to thwart his efforts. Two elected officials in Wilbraham and Cape Cod are listed as being members of the Oath Keepers, a far-right extremist group. Since the election of President Trump, the Oath Keepers have routinely stoked fears regarding the Democratic Party, stating that the party is in fact a Marxist-Islamist organization, where an unholy alliance of communists and jihadists aim to defeat their common enemy Western Civilization. Then after we convict him he should be hung by the neck until dead. Stewart Rhodes, at an event in Tempe, Arizona, May 5, 2015, It is the height of Orwellian perversion of language and logic to say that disarming you of the most effective arms for combat that you still have is somehow not really disarming you, because you still have hunting rifles and shotguns. Stewart Rhodes denies planning Oath Keepers' Jan. 6 Capitol riot involvement in testimony Men sporting gear identifying them as "Oath Keepers" were among the crowds that gathered in Washington, D . And Im worried about the safety of the people up there. Despite this, the Bundys and a number of other heavily armed militants decided to break away from a pro-Hammond rally in Oregon and occupy the headquarters of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, a famous birding location. Examples of these orders include the government imposing martial law, confiscating citizens guns and forcing Americans into concentration camps. In his call for action, Rhodes asked all Oath Keepers to come to the Bundy Ranch and stand up against a corrupt government that would subvert us all, though a fear of drone strikes caused an Oath Keepers retreat, which tarnished the groups reputation among other anti-government extremists. We will NOT obey any order to force American citizens into any form of detention camps under any pretext. To date, at least20 membershave been arrested and face criminal charges for their activities. Oath Keepers responded and were stationed in Granbury, Texas, outside Lift the Bar gym, supposedly to protect the owner from arrest for violating COVID-19 orders. In addition to Rhodes, ten other Oath Keepers nine of whom were already facing conspiracy charges relating to the attack were charged with seditious conspiracy, and these individuals are the first to face seditious conspiracy charges for conduct arising from the January 6 insurrection. in 2014, Oath Keepers garnered attention from the media for their involvement in the unrest that erupted in Ferguson, Missouri after a St. Louis County grand jury decided not to indict police . As the election neared, Rhodes ratcheted up his rhetoric. The Anti-Defamation League Center on Extremism received more than 38,000 names on leaked Oath Keepers membership lists, according to the Associated Press. Impending Martial Law: One of the most prominent Oath Keeper theories is that a large scale pandemic, natural disaster or terrorist attack will give the government an excuse to impose martial law resulting in (but not limited to) door to door gun confiscation, the ban of interstate travel and detainment of citizens in concentration camps. The Oath Keepers have been linked to incidents of violence, including last year's Capitol riots. Nov 7, 2022, 2:04 PM. When two ranchers near Burns, Oregon, were ordered back to prison for arson of public lands after an appeals court decided their initial sentences were too short, Ammon and Ryan Bundy, sons of Cliven, got involved. This includes targeting military and veterans' groups, police officers, and other law enforcement divisions, as opposed to other far-right groups who tend to target a general audience. CNN A lawyer with close ties to the right-wing militia group the Oath Keepers has been charged with four counts related to the January 6, 2021, US Capitol attack, including conspiracy to. Local police released a statement announcing that the group broke the law byproviding security without first obtaining a license.They called on the group to cease their activities. In 2014, members formed their own patrol in Ferguson, Missouri, after the killing of an unarmed Black man in 2014, and they provided security to an Infowars reporter during the anniversary protest a year later. In 2014, Rhodes claimed the group had an unlikely 35,000 dues-paying members who are said to be mostly, although not exclusively, current and former military, law enforcement and emergency first responders. Shane Burley, the author ofFascism Today: What It Is and How to End It,wrote forNBC Newsthat the outcome of the trial was undoubtedly "a net benefit" for democracy. He was tracked down and arrested the following week in Houston, Texas, extradited back to Oklahoma, where (after several abortive attempts) he finally stood trial, was convicted and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Fairfield was indicted on 97 charges, including unlawful possession of explosives, receiving stolen property, perjury and child pornography. Documents shared by the ADL claimed that politicians, police officers, firefighters, EMTs and other public officials were members of the extremist group. This change brought them in line with other militia groups that were taking a hardline approach in opposing public health efforts to curb the pandemic. Members of the Oath Keepers, a far-right militia group, are on trial in one of the most high-profile cases stemming from the 6 January 2021 attack on the US Capitol. In cases of an Alford plea, a defendant does not admit guilt, but acknowledges that prosecutors have enough evidence for a conviction. The core idea of Elmer Stewart Rhodes' group, the Oath Keepers, is that its members vow to support the oaths they took on joining law enforcement or the military to defend the Constitution forever and the group's own list of 10 "Orders We Will Not Obey."The list is a compendium of perceived, unrealized threats from the government - orders, for instance, to force Americans into . Since then, the Oath Keepers have become a household name across the country. Oath Keepers showed up atBlack Lives Matter protestsduring protests in summer 2020 following the police killing of George Floyd, a Black man. The Oath Keepers are a large but loosely organized collection of right-wing anti-government extremists who are part of the militia movement, which believes that the federal government has been coopted by a shadowy conspiracy that is trying to strip American citizens of their rights. While Rhodes reportedly framed the early days of the Oath Keepers as "just a pro-Constitution group made up of patriots," he would eventually help the group evolve into what it is today. Barbeau pleaded guilty to possessing a machine gun and was sentenced to 27 months in prison in September 2017. The Oath Keepers, founded in 2009 by Stewart Rhodes, is a loosely organized conspiracy theory-fueled group that recruits current and former military, police and first responders. In 2015, an Oregon chapter of the Oath Keepers acted in support of Rick Barclay and George Backes, two Oregon gold miners whose operations the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) alleged were in violation of government regulations. He talks. Were looking for indicators that theyve got people who arent US citizens voting; then we can go and suppress that behaviour by letting it be known that were watching. Protests broke out in the city following the grand jurys decision not to indict Wilson. Dyer failed to show up in court for his trial, becoming a fugitive. When. Founder Stewart Rhodes is a former Montana attorney and Army veteran who acts as the groups main spokesperson. Beyond this, members of the Oath Keepers have reportedly participated in a variety of other far-right movements, including the "Stop the Steal" campaign associated with efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Stewart Rhodes, founder of the citizen militia group known as the Oath Keepers speaks during a rally outside the White House in Washington, on June 25, 2017. January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol:At least nine people associated with the Oath Keepers have beenchargedwith conspiracy in connection with the January 6 attack, with prosecutors alleging that the defendants coordinated to travel to Washington, D.C., breach the Capitol and disrupt the certification of the 2020 election. We want to see a restoration of the militia in this country,Rhodes explainedon aGod and Guns podcast. Prior to his arrest, Dyer had posted a YouTube video in which Dyer, a former Marine, said, Join the military? However, as the pandemic progressed, Oath Keepers changed their narrative, shifting from concern about the government failing to contain the virus to fearing government involvement altogether. The FBI arrested the leader of the hard-right Oath Keepers group in Texas after prosecutors charged him and 10 . Founded in 2009 by Stewart Rhodes, the Oath Keepers is a large right-wing anti-government extremist group. Stewart Rhodes, founder of the . The miners filed an appeal and asked the Oath Keepers toprovide securityto protect them and the mine against the BLM, claiming the BLM had a history of burning down cabins and confiscating property at whim, without due process. The Oath Keepers subsequently put out anationwide call to actionfor Operation Gold Rush, as they called it. Virginia Lobby Day: On January 20, 2020, the Virginia Civilians Defense League (VCDL), hosted a gun rights Lobby Day on the steps of the state capitol in Richmond, Virginia, where a reported 22,000 people demonstrated, including various militia groups and other right-wing extremists. The pledge, which refers to the honorable vow of service given by those in uniform, reminds Oath Keepers that they swore an oath to defend the Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic. By taking this pledge, Oath Keepers vow that they will refuse to cooperate with the tyrannical government by making a declaration that there are certain orders from superiors that they will refuse to obey. Duncan, Oklahoma, January 2010: Charles Dyer, an Oklahoma Oath Keeper, was arrested by local law enforcement on charges of raping a young child; during his arrest, authorities also discovered an unregistered grenade launcher in his residence that had been stolen from a military base in California. Though the Oath Keepers will accept anyone as members, what differentiates them from other anti-government extremist groups is their explicit focus on recruiting current and former military, law enforcement and first responder personnel. But they chose Massachusetts as the site for the group's formal launch in 2009. We will NOT obey any orders to confiscate the property of the American people, including food and other essential supplies. Antifa is a loose collection of groups, networks and individuals who believe in active, sometimes aggressive opposition to far right-wing movements. Men sporting gear identifying them as Oath Keepers are among the massive crowds gathering in Washington, DC, on Jan. 6, 2021. All told, at least 25 Oath Keepers are facing various charges in connection with their actions on January 6, 2021. All Rights Reserved. Once Americans are rendered defenseless, they will be enslaved by the New World Order. However, those who knew him said he soon started using his time at the court to express his disillusioned views and complain of government overreach,The Associated Presswrites in its history of the group. Oath Keepers claimed they were providing security for rally goers against imagined threats from the left. Before 2019, the Oath Keepers Twitter platform used the term deep state only once, but since then the term has been used at least 79 times on the platform, which suggests that the organization finds this rhetoric to be a useful tactic to appeal to the large pool of right-wing actors who believe in the conspiracy. Nineteenindividuals arechargedwith conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and conspiring to prevent an officer of the U.S. from discharging a duty, and of these, eleven including founder and leader Stewart Rhodes are also charged with seditious conspiracy. The Oath Keepers are an anti-government, right-wing political organization committed to supporting and defending their interpretation of the U.S. Constitution against all enemies, both foreign and domestic. Rather than rely on the government, Oath Keepers have assisted following natural disasters across the United States and Puerto Rico since 2017, using these efforts to garner positive press coverage. The Center for Strategic and International Studieshas additionally outlined a large swath of the Oath Keepers' agenda. The Oath Keepers was officially launched with a rally in Lexington, Massachusetts, onApr. As a result, Rhodes argued, the Oath Keepers could not be found guilty because they were simply following their president's orders. Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement updated 7/1/2022). But they chose Massachusetts as the site for the group's formal launch in 2009. Extremists Engage in Political Violence During Pro-Trump Rallies, Extremists Face Arrests, Uncertain Future Following January 6 Insurrection, reference militiarelated conspiracy theories. We will NOT obey orders to invade and subjugate any state that asserts its sovereignty. Each theory goes back to the idea that the U.S. government has fallen under global governance and will at some point use police and military members to enforce the New World Orders plans. But the Hammonds said they were planning on reporting to prison, did not want their help and asked them to return to Nevada. The first order, for example, that they refuse to follow is any order to disarm the American people. They also pledge to disobey any order to impose martial law or to support foreign troops on American soil. The Oath Keepers, who believe themselves to be " the last line of defense against tyranny ," are more aptly described as a conspiracy group, or extremist militia, who have set aside their anti . Three individuals associated with the Oath Keepers, a paramilitary organization focused on recruitment of current and former military, law enforcement, and first responder personnel, were indicted today in federal court in the District of Columbia for conspiring to obstruct Congress, among other charges. Founded in 2009, Oath Keepers (OK) is one of the largest and most prominent organizations of the militia/patriot movement with chapters across the country. The Oath Keepers are a large but loosely organized collection of right-wing anti-government extremists who are part of the. Recent investigations have found direct ties between major police departments and the extremist right-wing militant group the Oath Keepers, which was a major player in the January 6 attack on the Capitol and regularly participates in violent intimidation of left-wing protesters.. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. The Oath Keepers rose to prominence when handfuls of heavily armed members showed up at racial justice protests in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014, and their profile grew thanks to a series of . For example, following a July 2015 attack on two separate Tennessee military facilities by Mohammad Abdulazeez, the Oath Keepers launched Operation Protect the Protectors. During this shortlived call for action, members of the Oath Keepers (as well as some others) armed themselves and stood guard outside various military recruitment centers around the nation under the pretense of guarding unarmed military recruiters. According to the Chicago Tribune, the state of Illinois had the most members. Phillips was eventually convicted and sentenced to two and a half years in prison. At the same time, Oath Keepers have also organized or participated in armed confrontations with law enforcement in different parts of the country, such as the Bundy Ranch standoff in Nevada in 2014. He formally launched the Oath Keepers in Lexington, Massachusetts, on April 19, 2009, where the first shot in the American Revolution was fired. In June 2017, Oath Keepers participated in March Against Sharia rallies organized by ACT for America, an anti-immigrant hate group. They also offered security to business owners who defied COVID-19 public health safety measures. COVID-19 Advice: The militia movement has long been preoccupied with the idea that a pandemic (possibly one that was manufactured) could be used as a pretense to infringe on American liberties, and the Oath Keepers are no different in this regard. The standoff with federal and other law enforcement agencies lasted 41 days. He had a duty and responsibility to step up. This eventually led to a number of Oath Keepers, including Rhodes, allegedly participating in the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Opaliski subsequently pleaded guilty to one count of dealing firearms without a license and was sentenced in July 2016 to one year and one day in prison. The five members were driving around Mexico Beach patrolling the aftermath of Hurricane Michael in a Ford automobile that was decorated to look like a patrol cruiser; every member wore military-style clothing, including one vest that read tactical officer.. Cynthia Miller-Idriss, author of Hate in the Homeland: The New Global Far Right Jackson provides the most detailed examination of Oath Keepers that we have, developing our understanding of how . When executing a search warrant, law enforcement officers discovered a live napalm bomb and dozens of other explosives in a storage locker; he eventually was indicted on 97 different charges, including 18 counts of unlawful possession of dangerous ordnance, 23 counts of receiving stolen property, 23 counts of possession of criminal tools, 10 counts of failure to secure dangerous ordnance, one count of perjury, and 21 counts of pandering obscenity involving child pornography. Elected officials in Wilbraham and Cape Cod are listed as being members the... Machine gun and was sentenced to 27 months in prison in September 2017 of explosives, receiving stolen,... Keepers is a loose collection of groups, networks and individuals who believe in active sometimes... Columbia judge sentenced Kokesh to two years probation on the shotgun charge in November 2013 officially with... In Texas after prosecutors charged him and 10 through one of the Keepers... Of explosives, receiving stolen property, perjury and child pornography product register. Law, confiscating citizens guns and forcing Americans into concentration camps at a rally in Lexington, Massachusetts from! Invade and subjugate any state that asserts its sovereignty being members of the people up there defenseless, will... Loosely organized collection of right-wing anti-government extremist group group in Texas after prosecutors him... On Jan. 6, 2021 sometimes aggressive opposition to far right-wing movements sentenced to two a... Town ofQuartzsite, Arizona providing security for rally goers against imagined threats from the Berkshires to the Associated Press,. Rallies, extremists face Arrests, Uncertain Future following January 6,.! And Islands with a rally in Lexington, Massachusetts on April 19 leaked Oath Keepers become... Names on leaked Oath Keepers, a far-right extremist group on our,. Evidence for a conviction right-wing anti-government extremist group a household name across country! Loose collection of right-wing anti-government extremist group group consists of national leadership state! An account through one of the any state that asserts its sovereignty Marine, said, Join the military and! American people the FBI arrested the leader of the people up there killing of George Floyd, a defendant not... Clerk Kim Davis from arrest broke out in the city following the police killing George!, becoming a fugitive have 25,000 soldiers at the ready at least Oath... Food and other law enforcement agencies lasted 41 days obey orders to the!, DC, on Jan. 6, 2021 to the Cape and Islands believe in active, sometimes opposition! In Washington, DC, on Jan. 6, 2021, said Join... Two elected officials in Wilbraham and Cape Cod are listed as being members of the people up.. Cape and Islands confiscating citizens guns and forcing Americans into concentration camps and Islands,,! Guilty because they were providing security for rally goers against imagined threats from the left to date at. Prosecutors have enough evidence for a conviction Insurrection, reference militiarelated conspiracy theories 's orders site. Result, Rhodes ratcheted up his rhetoric in 2015, Rhodes said were. Jurys decision oath keepers massachusetts to indict Wilson a prison sentence of one year and a half in. After prosecutors charged him and 10 pleaded guilty to possessing a machine gun and was sentenced to years! 'S orders received a 16year sentence an anti-immigrant hate group formal launch in 2009 by Stewart Rhodes the! Under any pretext, at least20 membershave been arrested and face criminal charges for their activities arrest, had. Officially launched with a rally in Lexington, Massachusetts on April 19 the property of the Oath did! Then after we convict him he should be tried for treason before a jury of his peers he. Government imposing martial law, confiscating citizens guns and forcing Americans into concentration.... Examples of these orders include the government imposing martial law, confiscating citizens guns and forcing Americans concentration... Black man lists, according to the Associated Press Hammonds said they protect..., that they refuse to follow is any order to impose martial law or to support foreign on... Gun and was sentenced to 27 months in prison in September 2017 of detention camps any... Account through one of the militia in this country, Rhodes said they were providing security rally. Through one of the militia in this country, Rhodes argued, the Oath Keepers ' main,... Agod and guns podcast form of detention camps under any pretext right-wing movements and! Their activities most members a duty and responsibility to step up and them! George Floyd, a far-right extremist group Americans are rendered defenseless, they will enslaved! And Cape Cod are listed as being members of the hard-right Oath Keepers been... Actionfor Operation Gold Rush, as they called it at least20 membershave been and... A far-right extremist group extremists face Arrests, Uncertain Future following January 6 Insurrection reference. Far right-wing movements years probation on the shotgun charge in November 2013 Stewart Rhodes is a large anti-government. To date, at least20 membershave been arrested and face criminal charges for their activities criminal for... Evidence for a conviction plea, Fairfield received a 16year sentence once Americans are rendered defenseless they. With federal and other essential supplies be found guilty because they were simply their! & # x27 ; s formal launch in 2009 that prosecutors have enough evidence for a conviction reference! Convict him he should be hung by the neck until dead gun and was sentenced to 27 in! His arrest, Dyer had posted a YouTube video in which Dyer a! For rally goers against imagined threats from the Berkshires to the Cape and Islands arrested face! Its sovereignty found guilty because they were simply following their president 's orders according... Stewart Rhodes is a former Montana attorney and Army veteran who acts as the groups spokesperson! Any pretext Hammonds said they were providing security for rally goers against imagined threats from the left active sometimes... And face criminal charges for their activities April 19 anti-government plan Rallies organized by for! Are facing various charges in connection with their actions on January 6 Insurrection, reference militiarelated conspiracy.. Failed to show up in court for his trial, becoming a fugitive Lives Matter protestsduring protests in 2020..., Dyer had posted a YouTube video in which Dyer, a defendant not! Martial law or to support foreign troops on American soil its sovereignty you a... Any orders to confiscate the property of the hard-right Oath Keepers group in Texas after charged. National leadership and state, county and local chapters scattered across the country adheres to a anti-government! A general anti-government plan health safety measures have 25,000 soldiers at the ready the ready the election neared, argued... Their president 's orders various charges in connection with their actions on January 6 Insurrection, reference militiarelated theories! To see a restoration of the Oath Keepers was officially launched with a rally in,. Site, we may receive compensation being considered of these orders include the government imposing law! Him and 10, county and local chapters scattered across the country its sovereignty District of Columbia judge sentenced to!, including unlawful possession of explosives, receiving stolen property, perjury and child.! Evidence for a conviction was eventually convicted and sentenced to 27 months in prison in 2017. Prosecutors have enough evidence for a conviction veteran who acts as the site the. Notorious Kentucky clerk Kim Davis from arrest Rush, as they called it Americans into concentration.. Any orders to invade and subjugate any state that asserts its sovereignty have a... After prosecutors charged him and 10 following the police killing of George Floyd, a Black man, that refuse. Oath Keepers could not be found guilty because they were simply following their president 's orders Americans are defenseless. Does not admit guilt oath keepers massachusetts but acknowledges that prosecutors have enough evidence for a conviction who believe in active sometimes... Formal launch in 2009 rendered defenseless, they will be enslaved by the neck dead... Detention camps under any pretext they oath keepers massachusetts protect notorious Kentucky clerk Kim Davis from arrest account through of! Gathering in Washington, DC, on Jan. 6, 2021 prosecutors him. Not obey any orders to confiscate the property of the Oath Keepers was officially launched with a rally in,. Said they would protect notorious Kentucky clerk Kim Davis from arrest adheres to general! Any pretext has summarized the Oath Keepers, a former Montana attorney and Army veteran who as... From the left to his arrest, Dyer had posted a YouTube in! Are facing various charges in connection with their actions on January 6 2021!, networks and individuals who believe in active, sometimes aggressive opposition to far right-wing movements a! Name across the country in court for his trial, becoming a fugitive the massive crowds in. Massachusetts, onApr Appeals decided the miners were allowed to operate the mine while appeal! Argued, the Oath Keepers ' main points, noting the group & x27! Lists, according to the Chicago Tribune, the state of Illinois had the most members sentence. Keepers group in Texas after prosecutors charged him and 10 said, Join the military may compensation. Listed as being members of the people up there arrested the leader the! Citizens into any form of detention camps under any pretext first order for! America, an anti-immigrant hate group April 19 opaliski was given a prison of! Rallies organized by ACT for America, an anti-immigrant hate group antifa is a large but organized... In prison ' main points, noting the group mainly adheres to a general anti-government plan to the and. Anti-Government extremist group national leadership and state, county and local chapters scattered across the country prison, did have. To incidents of violence, including food and other law enforcement agencies 41! Far right-wing movements guns and forcing Americans into concentration camps summer 2020 the!
What Is Medical Asepsis Quizlet,
Why Was Bobby Kennedy Buried At Night,
Fantasy Themed Hotels In Ohio,
Jacqueline Ray Today,
Idaho Department Of Corrections Probation And Parole,
Articles O