Topic: Militia Groups

U.S. Capitol Police increased security measures in Washington D.C. following intelligence reports of a potential plot by unidentified militia groups to breach the building on March 4. NPR and other outlets characterized the threat as stemming from QAnon followers. Skeptics argue the reporting relies on "false belief" labels and serves as a pretext for maintaining a militarized presence at the Capitol.

Mark Potok of the Southern Poverty Law Center reports that the number of hate groups has dropped by 19%. The decline is attributed to the "deflation" of the radical right following President Obama's reelection. Patriot groups are defined by the SPLC as movements unified by conspiracy theories regarding martial law and FEMA camps.