The Division of Homeland Safety’s latest terrorism threat bulletin features a warning in opposition to “the proliferation of false or deceptive narratives, which sow discord or undermine public belief in U.S. authorities establishments.”
The bulletin, issued Monday and in impact till not less than June 7, blamed an “on-line atmosphere stuffed with false or deceptive narratives and conspiracy theories, and different types of mis-, dis- and mal-information launched and/or amplified by overseas and home risk actors.
“These risk actors search to exacerbate societal friction to sow discord and undermine public belief in authorities establishments to encourage unrest, which might doubtlessly encourage acts of violence,” DHS went on. “Mass casualty assaults and different acts of focused violence carried out by lone offenders and small teams appearing in furtherance of ideological beliefs and/or private grievances pose an ongoing risk to the nation.”
Additional alongside within the bulletin, DHS topped its record of “[k]ey components contributing to the present heightened risk atmosphere” with the message: “[T]right here is widespread on-line proliferation of false or deceptive narratives concerning unsubstantiated widespread election fraud and COVID-19. Grievances related to these themes impressed violent extremist assaults throughout 2021.”
The bulletin didn’t give particular examples of such assaults.
“The months previous the upcoming 2022 midterm elections might present extra alternatives for these extremists and different people to name for violence directed at democratic establishments, political candidates, social gathering workplaces, election occasions, and election employees,” DHS added.
The doc additionally warned that “COVID-19 mitigation measures — notably COVID-19 vaccine and masks mandates — have been utilized by home violent extremists to justify violence since 2020 and will proceed to encourage these extremists to focus on authorities, healthcare, and educational establishments that they affiliate with these measures.”
Once more, it didn’t give particular examples.
Conservative podcast host Liz Wheeler responded to the brand new bulletin Tuesday by accusing the White Home of “weaponizing DHS.”
“DHS declares heightened alert … regardless of the risk atmosphere not being completely different than a yr in the past,” she tweeted. “So why now? Effectively, the simplest particular person to deplatform is a terrorist … So DHS labels these questioning the left’s covid narrative as terrorists.”
“Welcome to your communist future,” she added. “It’s possible you’ll not criticize the govt. or you can be imprisoned. That’s the logical conclusion of this hideous doc.”
