Facebook bans violent groups associated with ‘boogaloo’ movement, but not the term itself
- Facebook has banned an extremist anti-government network loosely associated with the broader ‘boogaloo’ movement
- But the platform did not try to name the group, underscoring the difficulty of grappling with an amorphous network linked to a string of domestic terror plots
But the platform did not try to name the group, underscoring the difficulty of grappling with an amorphous network linked to a string of domestic terror plots that appears to obfuscate its existence. Among other complications, its internet-savvy members tend to keep their distance from one another, frequently change their symbols and catchphrases and mask their intentions with sarcasm.
The move by Facebook designates this group as a dangerous organisation similar to the Islamic State group and white supremacists, both of which are already banned from its service. The social network is not banning all references to “boogaloo” and said it is only removing groups, accounts and pages when they have a “clear connection to violence or a credible threat to public safety.”
The loose movement is named after “Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo,” a 1984 sequel to a movie about breakdancing. “Boogaloo” supporters have shown up at protests over Covid-19 lockdown orders, carrying rifles and wearing tactical gear over Hawaiian shirts – themselves a reference to “big luau,” a homophone for “boogaloo” sometimes favoured by group members. Facebook said the movement dates back to 2012 and that it has been tracking it closely since last year.
Earlier in June, Steven Carrillo, an Air Force sergeant with ties to the boogaloo movement, fatally shot a federal security officer and wounded his partner outside a US courthouse, ambushed and killed a California sheriff’s deputy and injured four other officers in Oakland, California. According to the criminal complaint, Carrillo posted in a Facebook group, “It’s on our coast now, this needs to be nationwide. It’s a great opportunity to target the specialty soup bois. Keep that energy going.”
The statement was followed by two fire emojis and a link to a YouTube video showing a large crowd attacking two California Highway Patrol vehicles. According to the FBI “soup bois” may be a term that followers of the boogaloo movement used to refer to federal law enforcement agents.
