Online rumors of incoming left-wing agitators have circulated throughout rural towns across the U.S. as protests about policing and racial justice continue — and Jefferson County and the Olympic Peninsula are no exception.
The rumors are simple: a bus full of “antifa” is coming to loot, pillage and burn Small Town USA.
“Antifa’’ refers to an autonomous political movement whose self-identified members are militantly opposed to facism. “Antifa’’ is short for anti-facist. President Donald Trump has continually attempted to label large-scale protests across the U.S. and their associated violence as the work of “antifa.”
It’s unclear where the rumors start, but when they circulate online, they create a frenzy of concerned-and armed-citizens who vow to protect their town from would-be rioters. But the mysterious bus has yet to materialize in the growing number of small towns from Coeur D’Alene, Idaho to Sioux Falls, South Dakota that have come in contact with this rumor.
Ahead of a rally in Port Townsend against racial bias
June 5, a local Facebook page and blog floated rumors the event might be hijacked by outside agitators and turn violent. The posts also alleged an armed counter-protest might take place nearby.
Interim Police Chief Troy Suber said he was made aware of several rumors about possible violence at the rally, and found none to be credible. He said if he thought any of the rumors had merit, he would have increased police presence.
The rally was attended by several hundred people and remained completely peaceful.
The same online page that mentioned rumors of violence at the rally later said they had been contacted by someone who claimed three buses were carrying outside protesters to Port Townsend.
One of the only recorded confrontations to arise in response to an “antifa” rumor happened in Forks June 3. A family of four from Spokane, driving a full-sized school bus, stopped at Forks Outfitters to gather supplies for a night of camping when they were harassed by a crowd of armed Forks residents who accused them of being “antifa.”
The family was followed out of town by several cars with armed passengers. The family later called police after the aggressors attempted to trap them on Sitkum Sol Duc Road by felling trees to block their path.
The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident as a crime and asking anyone with information relating to the incident to come forward.
The sheriff’’s office is also investigating a possible link between the confrontation and online posts that originated from a gun store in Sequim’s Facebook page.
