Far-right groups in shambles as members get arrested for Capitol riot: report

On Wednesday, The Associated Press published an analysis of how the attack on the U.S. Capitol, and the legal and political aftermath, has decimated far-right groups.

"More than three dozen members and associates across both the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers have been charged with crimes," reported Michael Kunzelman and Alana Durkin Richer. "Some local chapters cut ties with national leadership in the weeks after the deadly siege. The Proud Boys' chairman called for a pause in the rallies that often have led to clashes with anti-fascist activists. And one Oath Keeper has agreed to cooperate against others charged in the riot."

Several of these arrests have made headlines, including the two Proud Boy brothers who unsuccessfully sought to be released to their parents, and the Oath Keepers who were hoping to bait the far left into fighting them at the Capitol.

As the report noted, similar damage happened to far-right groups in the aftermath of the lethal neo-Nazi demonstrations in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017. "Some extremism experts see parallels between the fallout from the Capitol riot and the schisms that divided far-right figures and groups after their violent clashes with counter-protesters at the 'Unite the Right' white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in August 2017. The white supremacist 'alt-right' movement fractured and ultimately faded from public view after the violence erupted that weekend."

Infighting and prosecutions aren't the only issue — according to the report, Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes has said they are now facing a devastating financial embargo.

"In an interview posted on the Oath Keepers' website, Rhodes said it has been difficult for the group to raise money as it's been kicked off certain websites," said the report. "The group also lost the ability to process credit card payments online after the company demanded that Rhodes disavow the arrested members and he refused, Rhodes said in a March interview for far-right website Gateway Pundit. The Oath Keepers website now says it cannot accept new memberships online because of 'malicious leftist attacks' and instructs people to mail in applications and dues."

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