Residents of Whidbey Island in Washington state are concerned about the spread of a right-wing militia group. The latter, on the other hand, tries to polish up its image.
Whidbey Island – A far-right militia group has spread to Whidbey Island, an island in Washington state, north of Seattle. The group, which belongs to the right-wing organization Washington State Three Percenters, has been holding rallies there for several months and is targeting community groups and the local government. This is causing considerable tension on the island, as reported by the American newspaper The Daily Beast.
On Saturday (July 3rd, 2021) around a hundred people gathered in a park in Langley, a normally sleepy town with around 1,200 residents on Whidbey Island, for a political rally. The speakers spoke about the fight against racism, rights for LGTBQ, but above all about the paramilitary organization on the island. “Racism and right-wing division really have no place in our community,” Langley Mayor Scott Chaplin told the crowd.
Washington State Three Percenters right-wing militia take over Whidbey Island, Washington
The militia group considers themselves to be brothers in the spirit of the American settlers who took up arms in 1775 to shake off British rule. Its name, Washington State Three Percenters, is based on the false assumption that only three percent of US colonists fought in the American Revolution, according to The Daily Beast.
Members and supporters of the militia took control of the almost 100-year-old local Grange association last fall and began to oppose those who did not sympathize with them. The Grange, officially The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry, is an agricultural advocacy group in the United States. In October, the militia group also held an anti-lockdown rally on the island. Many locals did not expect the militia to spread to their tranquil community, according to The Daily Beast. Whidbey Island was previously known primarily to tourists: inside for its hilly, wooded landscape, idyllic farms and spectacular views.
Founder of the militia group on Whidbey Island denies right-wing extremism
Critics consider the militia group to be right-wing extremist, racist and dangerous. The group’s founder and president, Matt Marshall, refuses to call his group extremist or racist. The group trains with guns and is known for expressing their willingness to fight back when faced with what they believe to be a tyrannical government. Despite that fact, combat veteran and resident Marshall denies the faction is a militia, according to The Daily Beast.
Despite the tensions within the community, state authorities seem to see no reason to intervene, as the portal reports. Local law enforcement officials reportedly told The Daily Beast that they did not see the militia group as their top priority. Island borough sheriff Rick Ferici told the Seattle Times, “People have the right to join organizations and express their views.” Scott Chaplin, Langley mayor, told The Daily Beast that the presidency is most important by Donald Trump led to right-wing groups forming.
Spread of right-wing groups in local politics as a common phenomenon in the USA
The fact that right-wing groups mingled in local politics is more common in the US, according to The Daily Beast. Because they focused on local and state elections, they often remained under the radar of state surveillance. Daryl Johnson, head of DT Analytics, a company that acts against right-wing groups, told The Daily Beast: “They have been trying to do this for a long time: extremists run for office, local elections, county councils, state parliaments and the like. If nobody does something about it, it will become the new norm. “
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According to The Daily Beast, no specific racist acts carried out by Three Percenters have yet been identified. In a text message in which Marshall declined an interview, he described the criticism of local activists of his organization as a “smear campaign”. Some people who are in contact with the group are also suspected of being connected with the storming of the Capitol in Washington in early January 2021 and the right-wing militias operating there. However, there should not be any concrete evidence here either, according to The Daily Beast.
Militia group on Whidbey Island: Founder Marshall elected to the school board
According to the Daily Beast, the group is said to have taken some steps to create the image of moving more towards the political center. For example, the militia group registered as a nonprofit, and Matt Marshall, founder of the Washington State Three Percenters, was elected to the school board in Eatonville, a rural town south of Seattle.
Schools play a particularly important role in the US as the site of local political conflicts, according to The Daily Beast. This includes topics such as racism or rights for LGBTQ, for example. The battle over Whidbey Island’s political direction reportedly came to a head on June 11, when more than 100 protesters protested student-led efforts to get South Whidbey High School to adopt an LGBTQ inclusive curriculum and the Recognize Black Lives Matter movement. A counter-protest by more than 300 students opposed the demonstration group. Locals fear that the candidates for the next school council elections could sympathize with the right-wing militia group.
Mayor of Langley on Whidbey Island considers right-wing forces to be temporary
Scott Chaplin, Mayor of Langley, anticipates that political tensions on the island could increase in the near future. Still, he is optimistic that the rise of far-right forces in his community is a temporary phenomenon.
“Ironically, I think what you’re doing is going to backfire because it brings the rest of the community together in ways we haven’t been in a long time,” Chaplin told The Daily Beast. (Anna Charlotte Groos)
