It is undoubtedly an uneasy time in the United States. Since the death of George Floyd by a police officer, protests have formed throughout the United States. These protests form to bring awareness to the racism and police violence in the United States. They can be seen across all states. While the protests began peacefully- and most still are peaceful- several have turned violent. We’ve seen rioting and people are even looting.

How are these violent protests starting?

There are a few hate groups that are taking advantage of these troubled times to incite violence at protests. White Supremacists, Antifa, and Boogaloo Boys are among the hate groups considered to be responsible.

The White Supremacists are individuals and groups that believe in the supremacy of the white/caucasian race. Examples of these groups include the Klu Klux Klan and the Neo-Nazis. Their beliefs lead members to hold themselves above other races and believe they should be dominant over them. They are gathering at protests to worsen the tension and incite violence for the purpose of rioting against law enforcement and looting businesses. Causing all these riots is damages the message that peaceful protestors are trying to convey.

The Boogaloo Boys are a relatively new embodiment of the anti-government militia movement. They are an online group of pro-gun activists who are advocating and preparing for a second ‘boogaloo’; their term for civil war. In recent protests, Boogaloo Boys members have stood out for wearing Hawaiian shirts and carrying rifles. They wanted to use the momentum of George Floyd’s death to sow enough confusion and excitement to incite others to begin rioting in streets out of anger. In Las Vegas, some members of the boogaloo movement were planning to spark violence and hijack peaceful gatherings.

Antifa is another hate group that is considered responsible for riling up protesters to riot and loot. Its supporters generally seek to stop what the group sees as racist, fascist, and far-right groups from having a platform to promote their views. To them, using violence is justified because they believe that if racist groups can organize freely it will result in violence against marginalized communities. This group passionately believes that violence is the best and most effective way to get the point across.

It is sad to see that while people gather throughout the United States to protest the death of Floyd, hate groups are using this time to incite violence. Groups like White Supremacists, Boogaloo Boys, and Antifa are causing riots and looting while taking over the message that the peaceful protests want to portray.