QAnon supporters have been mostly digital activists and some have even extended to calling them extremists. Their ideology is greatly focused on a mythical person who purportedly has Q-level clearance that’s leaking information to somewhat questionable websites.
However, QAnon has proven that it can be “hands-on” and get even a bit violent. So much so that an avid QAnon supporter was caught in the crosshairs of a local police department, literally in a standoff with them. What more can we understand from this back and forth between QAnon supporters and cops?
Hoover Dam bridge standoff
In June 2018, a man by the name of Matthew Wright was arrested for something you commonly hear about in the movies. This QAnon supporter got in the crosshairs of local law enforcement after barricading traffic on the Hoover Dam bridge. Subsequently, a standoff ensued between Matthew and the police. Reports mention that they saw a weapon on the portholes in Matthew’s armored vehicle.
Fortunately, the avid QAnon supporter surrendered peacefully. It could’ve been worse, though, because the police could’ve got a bit excited and used excessive force on Matthew. Even though he was the cause of this ordeal, he would’ve got a fighting chance in court. If you have been assaulted by law enforcement in any way, contact your local police brutality lawyers immediately to have a fighting chance.
Involvement in the Capitol Riots
QAnon supporters were confirmed to have been sighted at the Capitol Riots, which was one of the ugliest altercations with the police this group has had. Although they were not the ones who organized the riots, they joined forces with other rioters and took on the Capitol.
At least 8% of the total rioters that got arrested were QAnon followers and were instigated by this mythical person’s posts. The riots got very ugly and seeing QAnon supporters there was an unpleasant milestone they have reached for law enforcement.
Considering the reliability of the information
The reliability of the information is of most concern, especially since some of the unverified leaks relate to touchy subjects. For example, child trafficking and the involvement of high-ranking officials therein.
Since the source is anonymous for obvious reasons, the information is even hard to verify if it is coming from a trustworthy source. Misinformation has a long history of inciting people to violence and leading to catastrophic consequences and events. Some have even ruled that these are merely conspiracy theories being spun up by this screen name.
Conflicting interests between cops
Some cops are notable and very prominent supporters of QAnon. That brings concern not only amongst the police force but also with the communities they are sworn to protect. If the information is indeed not accurate, what a shame it will be for police officers to be implicated.
Also, in events such as the Hoover Dam Bridge standoff, officers believing in QAnon could be conflicted and find it hard to fulfill their duties. Hence, some police officers have even gotten out on administrative leave due to following QAnon.
Concern over future potential violent ordeals
One of the major concerns regarding QAnon includes the concern over future potential violent ordeals. Since this group has migrated from non-violent social media and blog posts to standoffs with police officers and riots, there is concern on where this might be leading to.
Since the ideology has shifted to physical demonstrations, there is no telling what might be the next move. Perhaps the Hoover Dam bridge standoff might even repeat itself just to make a statement and gain publicity.