Love Lives Here and MHRN statement regarding domestic terrorism in Washington, DC

The Montana Human Rights Network and Love Lives Here is aware of reports of extremists gathering in towns across Montana to protest the results of the 2020 presidential election. It seems that these protesters believe conspiracy theories that falsely claim the election was fraudulent.  We are saddened that so many people in Montana have been radicalized by this dangerous anti-government rhetoric, but we are not surprised.  

We have been watching the rise of violent extremism in America for several years, and we are alarmed at how this movement has grown in response the COVID-19 pandemic. It is clear that violent anti-government groups like the Oath Keepers, Three Percenters, Proud Boys, and Ammon Bundy's People’s Rights group have used various events and protests around the country in recent months  to normalize armed standoffs against government officials and recruit for future events. While what happened today at the U.S. Capitol is horrifying, it was not surprising if you saw the warning signs.  

We hoped that community members, community leaders, and elected officials would take warnings about violent extremism seriously, but too often, they were dismissed.  
 
It is clear that we are in a crisis.  Dealing with the insurrection that happened in Washington D.C. and other locations today is a matter for law enforcement to manage. We recommend that community members stay far away from these dangerous rallies in Montana.  We do not want supporters of democracy and fair elections to be harmed. 

We are especially concerned for the safety of people who have been targeted by violent extremists. To our Black, Indigenous, people of color, LGBTQ, Jewish, Muslim, immigrant, and other community members, we see you. You deserve to be safe in your cities and homes.  

Please reach out to MHRN and Love Lives Here if you need support. If you see any extremist activity, report it to the police if you feel safe doing so, and then use our incident form so we can document the situation. https://mhrn.org/reportingform