Revelations that FBI agents thwarted a plot by far-right militiamen to storm Michigan's capitol building and kidnap its governor have raised the stakes in what was already a tense United States presidential election.
The foiled plan to oust Michigan’s Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer followed months of sometimes-violent racial justice protests in US cities that in August led to the killing of two protesters by teenage militia member Kyle Rittenhouse in Wisconsin.
For many, the cocktail of racial hostility, political polarisation, widely-available assault rifles, economic hardship from Covid-19 and a Republican president whose re-election effort has featured vocal support for extremists, is a cause for concern.
The National spoke to analysts who said white supremacist groups are likely to assemble at polling stations and intimidate voters on November 3, but a bigger danger lies in any post-election debacle over disputed results and claims of voter fraud.
“The threat of violence from far-right groups is always there, but we’re now seeing a progression in rhetoric and public appearances and this incident in Michigan is a new low,” said Vegas Tenold, a researcher at the Anti-Defamation League, an anti-Semitism watchdog.
“We’re extremely concerned about violence and interference in the election.”
The FBI criminal complaint on the abduction of Michigan's governor reads like a Hollywood movie plot: fanatics huddled in a secret basement conspiring to storm government offices and stage a “treason” trial over Ms Whitmer’s strict coronavirus lockdown rules.
While the plan was foiled by an undercover agent, it has shone a spotlight on the growing presence and confidence of far-right white men, some with guns and military training, ahead of a contentious election.
Reports suggest the conspirators were linked to the Boogaloo Bois — a militant movement whose assault rifle-toting members attend protests wearing colourful Hawaiian shirts and believe the US is headed for a second civil war.
Other far-right groups include the Oath Keepers, an anti-government, gun-rights ensemble made up of former policemen and others, and the Proud Boys: self-proclaimed “western chauvinists” who are known for their Fred Perry shirts and anti-Muslim and misogynistic rhetoric.
Far-right groups were once active on Facebook and Twitter but account purges by mainstream social media sites have seen them migrate to the instant messaging platform Telegram and uncensored online venues like Parler and Gab.
A Department of Homeland Security report this week warned that white supremacists have been behind more lethal attacks on US soil than any other movement these past three years and remain the country’s deadliest domestic terror threat.
The document outlined extremists’ “longstanding intent” to target racial and religious minorities, non-heterosexual groups, politicians, leftists and multi-culturalists, often in pursuit of a white, American ethnostate.
At the other end of the political spectrum is Antifa, an amorphous left-wing anti-fascist movement with a hardcore, armed “black bloc” contingent. Followers have spearheaded protests against police violence and racial injustice this past year.
Clashes between the rival groups have escalated. In August, Mr Rittenhouse, 17, allegedly shot and killed two leftist protesters and injured a third with a military-style rifle at a race protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He faces homicide charges and claims self-defence.
Last month, police shot and killed Michael Reinoehl, 48, a self-declared anti-fascist activist who was being pursued for fatally shooting a right-wing counterprotester during weeks of race rallies and politicised street clashes in Portland, Oregon.
President Donald Trump was asked to disavow the Proud Boys and other groups at his first televised debate against Democratic challenger Joe Biden on September 29. Instead, he urged members to “stand back and stand by” this campaign season.
Critics accused Mr Trump of signalling for Proud Boys to rally behind him in the event of a disputed election; the president has since denied any knowledge of the group and denounced white supremacists.
Still, Mr Trump regularly raises fears of voter fraud, especially over mail-in ballots, without offering evidence. Republicans are mobilising thousands of supporters to monitor polling stations for irregularities in Pennsylvania, Florida, Wisconsin and other toss-up states.
Mr Tenold described sizeable Proud Boys chapters in Florida and Pennsylvania that are likely to join the election-monitoring “Army for Trump”, as it is known. It remains unclear how many members these groups can deploy, he added.
"There are too many, but not as many as they'd like to think," added Mr Tenold, the author of Everything You Love Will Burn: Inside the Rebirth of White Nationalism in America.
Thomas Zeitzoff, an American University associate professor who studies political violence and social media, said he expected more trouble at polling stations than in previous years, but was more worried about what happens afterwards.
Polls suggest Mr Biden leads Mr Trump by some 10 percentage points, but the high proportion of postal ballots being cast amid the Covid-19 pandemic could see results trickle in for days after November 3, particularly votes for Mr Biden.
"Unless there's a complete Biden blowout, we won't know the results on election night," Mr Zeitzoff told The National.
“We could see claims about absentee ballots and lawsuits being filed. I’m not worried about a civil war, but about tension on the streets and Trump using isolated incidents of shenanigans as a pretext to subvert the democratic process.”
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Types of policy
Term life insurance: this is the cheapest and most-popular form of life cover. You pay a regular monthly premium for a pre-agreed period, typically anything between five and 25 years, or possibly longer. If you die within that time, the policy will pay a cash lump sum, which is typically tax-free even outside the UAE. If you die after the policy ends, you do not get anything in return. There is no cash-in value at any time. Once you stop paying premiums, cover stops.
Whole-of-life insurance: as its name suggests, this type of life cover is designed to run for the rest of your life. You pay regular monthly premiums and in return, get a guaranteed cash lump sum whenever you die. As a result, premiums are typically much higher than one term life insurance, although they do not usually increase with age. In some cases, you have to keep up premiums for as long as you live, although there may be a cut-off period, say, at age 80 but it can go as high as 95. There are penalties if you don’t last the course and you may get a lot less than you paid in.
Critical illness cover: this pays a cash lump sum if you suffer from a serious illness such as cancer, heart disease or stroke. Some policies cover as many as 50 different illnesses, although cancer triggers by far the most claims. The payout is designed to cover major financial responsibilities such as a mortgage or children’s education fees if you fall ill and are unable to work. It is cost effective to combine it with life insurance, with the policy paying out once if you either die or suffer a serious illness.
Income protection: this pays a replacement income if you fall ill and are unable to continue working. On the best policies, this will continue either until you recover, or reach retirement age. Unlike critical illness cover, policies will typically pay out for stress and musculoskeletal problems such as back trouble.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Profile of Bitex UAE
Date of launch: November 2018
Founder: Monark Modi
Based: Business Bay, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: Eight employees
Investors: Self-funded to date with $1m of personal savings
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
