Using memes as propaganda, employing sophisticated communication networks for both planning and recruiting, making use of both fringe and private online forums and organizing militias to inspire lone wolf actors for violent action have proven to become tried-and-true tactics by extremist online communities seeking to expand their influence in recent years.
According to the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) report, presented by the Rutgers Miller Center for Community Protection and Resilience, Network-Enabled Anarchy: How Militant Anarcho-Socialist Networks Use Social Media to Spread Violence Against Political Opponents and Law Enforcement, militant and extremist groups have taken to social media and online forums to plant hateful, anti-Semitic and/or revolutionary ideas in the public eye, which are often disguised with humor or through using coded language.
Louisville, Ky. Mayor Greg Fischer and Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) Chief Robert Schroeder outlined steps being taken in preparation for Attorney General Daniel Cameron’s planned announcement in the Breonna Taylor case, including a countywide curfew starting at 9 p.m.
The Black Lives Matter movement is spurring record-breaking fundraising online. In fact, the Minnesota Freedom Fund pulled in more than $30 million in donations alone following the death of George Floyd. The outpouring of financial support is great for these grassroots movements; however, large numbers like these often catch the eye of opportunistic scammers, unfortunately. While Black Lives Matter supporters are advocating on the street for a cause, scammers are capitalizing on their movement for their own gain.
Event security has evolved well beyond the standard uniformed officers, access control, and incident response. Today’s event security professionals are strategists who use intelligence driven risk-based models to mitigate threats by identifying and addressing gaps and vulnerabilities.
