Facebook blocks white nationalists organizing move on protests
08 June, 2020
Facebook on Friday said it disrupted efforts by banned white nationalist groups to arrange members to arm themselves and target protests against racial injustice.
Small networks of accounts linked with the groups referred to as Proud Boys and the American Guard were taken down within a move by the social network after posts inciting violent action on the ground, according to Facebook dangerous organizations policy director Brian Fishman.
"We saw these groups were likely to rally supporters and members to be on the bottom to the protests, occasionally they were preparing to go with weapons," Fishman said in press briefing.
Both groups were previously banned at Facebook but were trying to slide back onto the social networking and its own Instagram service, according to Fishman.
Fishman's team was working to identify all of the accounts related to the experience, but increased take-down efforts when posts considered demands clashing with protesters.
About 80 Facebook accounts and 50 Instagram accounts linked to the American Guard were removed, along with about 30 Facebook accounts and the same number of Instagram accounts linked with the Proud Boys.
"We try to find efforts of banned organizations to return to the platform," Fishman said,
"These groups do operate adversarially and can try to keep coming back all at once."
Facebook is looking at more such groups, he added, not specifying which.
Facebook has not seen any proof "foreign interests" being involved with coordinated behavior targeting protests in the US, according to head of security policy Nathaniel Gleicher.
The California-based social networking last month banned the utilization of "Boogaloo" and related conditions when used along with references or depictions of armed violence.
Facebook removes content violating that rule and prevents associated pages or groups from being recommended for viewing, according to a spokesperson.
The "Boogaloo" movement, which has adopted Hawaiian shirts as a uniform, promotes "a coming civil war and/or collapse of society," according to a Nevada federal prosecutor involved in a criminal case against alleged members.
Three far-right extremists arrested by an anti-terror unit at Las Vegas protests over the killing of an African American man by police were charged this week with inciting violence, officials said.
The men allegedly participate in the "Boogaloo" movement, in line with the federal prosecutor.
THE UNITED STATES has been roiled by nationwide protests against the killing of George Floyd by a white officer in Minneapolis on May 25.
The demonstrations have been largely peaceful but many have divided into violence and looting after nightfall.
Source: www.thejakartapost.com
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