Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDisgruntled Civil War reenactor allegedly framed Antifa by fabricating threats against his unit
https://qz.com/1800988/antifa-falsely-accused-of-threatening-civil-war-group/
February 11, 2020
By Justin Rohrlich
Geopolitics reporter
In 2017, Antifa, a loose collection of left-leaning militant anti-fascist groups, was blamed by many for a series of violent threats mailed to a Virginia organization that hosts Civil War reenactments, as well as a pipe bomb planted at one of its annual gatherings.
Now the FBI believes those threats likely didnt come from Antifa at all, but instead from a member of the Civil War reenactment group itself.
A search warrant application seeking phone records for Gerald Leonard Drake, a former volunteer at the nonprofit Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation in Middletown, Virginia, was unsealed today in federal court. The filing lays out evidence that Drake, a 61-year-old registered sex offender who has spent time in prison, sent the letters to exact revenge on Cedar Creek after it kicked him out of his unit. The document does not say which side Drake fought for during the reenactments, but email addresses for Drake listed in public records include variations on the word confederate.
Drake, it appears, attempted to leverage existing tensions between Antifa and the far-right. Members of Antifa will often show up at rallies held by far-right white supremacist groups and organizations defending so-called Confederate heritage. Skirmishes between the two sides sometimes break out at these competing rallies.
</snip>
February 11, 2020
By Justin Rohrlich
Geopolitics reporter
In 2017, Antifa, a loose collection of left-leaning militant anti-fascist groups, was blamed by many for a series of violent threats mailed to a Virginia organization that hosts Civil War reenactments, as well as a pipe bomb planted at one of its annual gatherings.
Now the FBI believes those threats likely didnt come from Antifa at all, but instead from a member of the Civil War reenactment group itself.
A search warrant application seeking phone records for Gerald Leonard Drake, a former volunteer at the nonprofit Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation in Middletown, Virginia, was unsealed today in federal court. The filing lays out evidence that Drake, a 61-year-old registered sex offender who has spent time in prison, sent the letters to exact revenge on Cedar Creek after it kicked him out of his unit. The document does not say which side Drake fought for during the reenactments, but email addresses for Drake listed in public records include variations on the word confederate.
Drake, it appears, attempted to leverage existing tensions between Antifa and the far-right. Members of Antifa will often show up at rallies held by far-right white supremacist groups and organizations defending so-called Confederate heritage. Skirmishes between the two sides sometimes break out at these competing rallies.
</snip>
Remember this next time a fascist starts whining about the mean antifascists.
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
6 replies, 997 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (9)
ReplyReply to this post
6 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Disgruntled Civil War reenactor allegedly framed Antifa by fabricating threats against his unit (Original Post)
Dennis Donovan
Feb 2020
OP
tanyev
(42,598 posts)1. ...
Same here!
CaptYossarian
(6,448 posts)2. It finally happened:
A sex offender screwed himself.
The FBI should keep this case in mind while investigating the spray painting of GOP headquarters in FL and NM.
TheBlackAdder
(28,211 posts)4. From the rumors, his unit is very tiny.
MagickMuffin
(15,950 posts)5. Here he is
I couldn't find a pic of him in "uniform" playing solider. However, I'd bet my dollar bottom he was a confederate.
Dennis Donovan
(18,770 posts)6. My creepdar is off the charts with this one...