A private militia group known as the “Oath Keepers” showed up in Ferguson, Missouri and is causing tension and inflaming the community, reported CBS News. One of the Oath Keepers representatives at the scene told CBS that he was there to protect InfoWars.com reporters, an organization associated with conspriracy theorist Alex Jones. InfoWars.com denies they hired Oath Keepers, but state they will accept their protection if it becomes necessary, as they share a similar philosophy.
Oath Keeper members were spotted in Ferguson carrying assault rifles and wearing flak jackets. Oath Keepers is described as “a non-partisan association of current and formerly serving military, police, and first responders who pledge to fulfill the oath all military and police take to ‘defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.’”
While Oath Keepers claims to protect reporters and property owners, the are actually instigating an already-tense situation in Ferguson. St. Louis Police Chief Jon Belmar said Oath Keeper’s presence is “both unnecessary and inflammatory.” InfoWars.com is known for its inflammatory news coverage and conservative fear mongering. One InfoWars.com headline proclaimed: “PROTESTERS DECLARE THEY ARE READY FOR WAR AS AMERICA’S IMPOVERISHED INNER CITIES THREATEN TO ERUPT.”
The unrest in Ferguson is a blazing fire, and Oath Keepers is throwing gas upon that fire.
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