Antigovernment militia groups grew by more than one-third in last year
The armed takeover of a federal government building in Oregon comes amid a renewed expansion of the far-right, antigovernment militia movement in the wake of the 2014 standoff between federal agents and heavily armed antigovernment activists in the Nevada desert.
In its annual count of militias, released today, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) identified 276 militia groups up from 202 in 2014, a 37 percent increase.
The number represents a renewal of growth after several years of declines. The movement grew explosively after President Obama was elected, from 42 groups in 2008 to a peak of 334 in 2011 before declining in recent years.
Whats happening in Oregon was entirely predictable.
We believe these armed extremists have been emboldened by what they saw as a clear victory at the Cliven Bundy ranch and the fact that no one was held accountable for taking up arms against agents of the federal government, said Heidi Beirich, director of the SPLCs Intelligence Project.
https://www.splcenter.org/news/2016/01/04/antigovernment-militia-groups-grew-more-one-third-last-year