The Oath Keepers, a far-right militia group is in the light following their involvement with the Capitol Hill riots. Here’s all you need to know about the group.
Who are the Oath Keepers?
The Oath keepers are a far-right militia group that has been gaining notoriety in the US due to their involvement with a case related to the riots on the US Capitol Hill. The group was launched in 2009 by Steward Rhodes following the rally in Lexington, Massachusetts. Rhodes is a former US Army paratrooper and aide to Ron paul, a republican. The group’s “pro-gun, anti-government” shines with all members tilting towards the Republican party.
According to CNN, new recruits take a pledge resembling the military oath. They promise to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic”. The high-profile trial began on Tuesday. Five members of the group were charged with “seditious conspiracy and spending months recruiting, training and conspiring to use force to prevent the transfer of presidential power”. If convicted, they can face up to 20 years of prison time. Additionally, the other 20 members are on trial for much lesser charges.
Why are they on trial?
After the former president, Donald Trump rejected the US Presidential Elections results, several of his supporters broke the barricade to enter the US Capitol Hill. As per the charges, the Oath Keepers stored weapons and prepared for the incident. Prior to the incident, Rhodes sent a message to other members. “We aren’t getting through this without a civil war. Too late for that. Prepare your mind, body, spirit,” it read.
The authorities have concrete proof revealing that members of the Oath Keepers were among the ones physically entering the premises. “When the Oath Keepers were founded, the argument they made was relatively simple: The federal government was bad and so-called patriots needed to be ready to resist it,” stated Sam Jackson. Jackson is a professor at the State University of New York. He is also an expert on right-wing extremist groups.