After false information, intimidation. An armed man was arrested Saturday in North Carolina, after trying to attack federal workers responsible for reconstruction after the passage of the hurricane Helene. An event that occurs as the discourse seeking to undermine confidence in the federal government is spreading.
Posted at 1:40 a.m.
Updated at 6:00 a.m.
Terrorize the public
US federal emergency workers (FEMA) were forced to halt their reconstruction efforts following the hurricane’s passage through North Carolina on Saturday after a heavily armed man attempted to attack to them. William Jacob Parsons, 44, was arrested by Rutherford County police officers and charged with “arming himself to terrorize the public.” The hurricane Helene caused at least 232 deaths last month, particularly in Florida and South Carolina, where torrential rains caused massive floods and landslides.
Strategic void
For Christian Leuprecht, professor at the Royal Military College of Canada and Queen’s University in Kingston, it is not surprising that a citizen targeted federal employees. “Faced with the threatening and conspiratorial rhetoric that we see during this presidential campaign, it is not surprising that victims who were already frustrated took the opportunity to be threatening,” he said. When there is a perception of a strategic vacuum that the government is not filling, it risks being exploited. »
Trump fake news
Seeking to discredit their opponents, Donald Trump and Republican activists have made unsubstantiated claims about FEMA in recent weeks. For example, Mr. Trump claimed, without providing evidence, that hurricane relief funds were diverted by the Biden administration to help “illegal immigrants.” He also suggested, again without providing evidence, that Democrats were doing everything they could to block aid from arriving in counties that traditionally vote right. President Joe Biden has denied the accusations.
“Member of a sect”
Unsubstantiated information relayed about the hurricane Helene have very real consequences. A caller to journalist Dan Abrams’ show on Sirius “He refuses because he is a die-hard Trumpist,” the man said. He believes that if he accepts anything from FEMA, they will take his house. He lacks everything, food, water. But he refuses help! We send him the information, but he just believes in Trump… It’s a cult. I’m sorry to say this, but my stepfather is a member of a cult, and it’s a terrible situation. »
Canary in the mine
Even if it seems to be the result of the actions of a single person, Christian Leuprecht believes that the episode experienced Saturday serves as a “canary in the mine”. A dangerous period is beginning in the United States, he says. “I am concerned about the possibility that militias will decide to use violence on a large scale. If Kamala Harris wins, Republicans could demonstrate and refuse to concede victory. If Trump wins, the militias could feel legitimized in the way they see the world and behave. One of the targets could be the federal government, its employees and its institutions. Trust in the federal government is directly linked to political affiliation: very high for Democrats, and very low for Republicans. »
Opponent’s objective
The confusion and false information disseminated by Donald Trump are part of the project carried out by the United States’ adversaries, notably China and Russia, says Mr. Leuprecht. “Trump’s strategy is to delegitimize the federal response to the hurricane. Chinese and Russian propaganda on social media has the same goal. Their message is that the federal government is not there to help you. There is an alignment of speeches. Trump reinforces the objectives of our adversary, who seeks to undermine trust in institutions. »
