North Carolina Attack Celebrated By White Supremacists And Neo-Nazis. The
Counter Extremism Project (CEP) reports weekly on the methods used by
extremists to spread propaganda, recruit followers, and incite violence on
popular social media platforms in order to hold companies accountable for
failures to prevent the dissemination of extremist and terrorist content.





<[link removed]>
<[link removed]>



Extremist Content Online: Telegram Edition

North Carolina Attack Celebrated By White Supremacists And Neo-Nazis



(New York, N.Y.) — The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) reports weekly on the
methods used by extremists to spread propaganda, recruit followers, and incite
violence on popular social media platforms in order to hold companies
accountable for failures to prevent the dissemination of extremist and
terrorist content.



Following the December 3 attack on two power substations by unknown individuals
using
<[link removed]>
a “high-powered rifle” to destroy substation equipment in Moore County, North
Carolina, that initially left 45,000 homes and businesses without electricity,
white supremacists and neo-Nazis celebrated and encouraged additional attacks
on Telegram.



A prominent Telegram channel that has been removed from the platform multiple
times called the attack “a beautiful escalation.” Other users posted a video
containing information on which substation components to target. Users also
posted information on making explosives. Telegram commenters advocated for
similar future assaults and celebrated what they falselystated
<[link removed]>
was the cancelation of a drag show.



Video posted on a neo-Nazi Telegram channel encouraging attacks on
infrastructure, posted on December 4.



Rinaldo Nazzaro <[link removed]>,
the founder ofThe Base <[link removed]>,
stated on Telegram that the attack could only be successful if an individual or
group took credit. On December 7, a neo-Nazi channel dedicated to information
and operations security with over 11,000 subscribers celebrated a lateNovember
<[link removed]> attack
<[link removed]>
on electrical infrastructure in Oregon that was recently made public and
stated that further attacks would make people “desperate and hard to control.”
A member of a neo-Nazi Telegram chat hoped that other attacks on electrical
infrastructure were imminent, which could allow individuals to commit crimes
while surveillance systems are inoperable.



Attacking electrical infrastructure, including substations, has been strongly
and frequently promoted by the neo-Nazi accelerationist movement. On June 1,
2022, neo-Nazi accelerationistsreleased
<[link removed]>
a manual that advocated for assaults on the U.S. electrical grid instead of
mass shooting attacks targeting regular people, arguing that targeting
infrastructure would cause more damage, eventually leading to societal
collapse. The 14-page document included information on the 2013Metcalf Sniper
Attack
<[link removed]>,
where unknown individuals destroyed 17 electrical transformers in California
with rifles.



Additionally, a neo-Nazi accelerationist book released
<[link removed]>
online in June 2021, an approximately 260-page bookpublished
<[link removed]>
online in December 2021, and a bookreleased
<[link removed]>
in July 2022 included sections devoted to advocating for attacks on electrical
infrastructure to promote chaos and fear and lead to a breakdown of order and
increase distrust of the government. The July book included diagrams of various
electrical infrastructure systems and information on using firearms against
transformers. In August 2021, members of a neo-Nazi cell werecharged
<[link removed]>
with “conspiracy to damage the property of an energy facility in the United
States,” in addition to firearms-related crimes.



###





Unsubscribe
<[link removed]>