Domestic terrorism (DT) has been an increasingly important topic in the United States over the last several years. This year, the US Federal government created classifications for ‘Racially and Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremism’ (REMVE) that include white supremacist forms of violent extremism along with ‘Targeted Violence’ (TV) in the Department of Homeland Security’s Strategic Framework released in September 2019.
This shift stems from attempts to incorporate mass attacks committed by REMVE actors as well as self-described Incels (Involuntary Celibates) linked to male supremacist cultures, and mass attacks such as ‘school shootings’ under the banner of DT threats. Identifying individuals linked to these newly recognized (but extant) forms of terror remains difficult, because US law does not allow for the designation of citizen groups under the framework of domestic criminal charges for terrorist activities due to potential breaches of first amendment rights of free speech and free assembly.
In addition, ‘Targeted Violence’ can often be linked to online cultures that are difficult to classify as ‘groups’ under existing law. Further, non-citizen participants in such cultures who are in the US also have first amendment protections. Although there are ongoing debates about how to address these issues, criminal charging and prosecutions still go forward when REMVE / TV actors commit crimes.
