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Who Are the Boogaloo Bois – and What Do They Want?

Published October 23, 2020 7:37 PM
Aaron Weaver
Published October 23, 2020 7:37 PM
  • The Boogaloo Bois made headlines again after a group member who shot at a Minneapolis police precinct was hit with criminal charges.
  • The extremist group is still young, but it’s gathering steam.
  • Who are these people? And why are they shooting at police?

The Boogaloo Bois are trying to be the most extreme ‘boys’ on the block.

The Proud Boys might have something to say about that. Although, on the surface, it doesn’t seem like there’s much to differentiate the two right-wing groups.

A deeper look reveals that the Boogaloo Bois are a complicated, violent extremist group that’s still trying to figure itself out.

A Violent Night in Minneapolis

Ivan Harrison Hunter, a member of the Boogaloo Bois, has been charged with one count of interstate travel to incite a riot.  According to the charges, the Texas native traveled to Minneapolis a few days after George Floyd’s tragic murder.

Boogaloo Bois
One Boogaloo Boy will see his day in court. | Source: Twitter 

Once there, Harrison opened fire on the south Minneapolis police headquarters with an AK-47 while people were inside. According to the claim, he also looted and helped set the building on fire.

Hunter went on Facebook to make the following claims:

I helped the community burn down that police station … I didn’t’ protest peacefully Dude … Want something to change? Start risking felonies for what is good.

And he’s not alone. One of his confidants and fellow Boogaloo member Steven Carillo is facing the death penalty after killing two officers in California .

Who Are These Boogaloo Bois?

According to several reports, the Boogaloo Bois have one main goal: to start another civil war in America.

The term “boogaloo” became a slang phrase over the last few years meant to reference this future war. In 2019, it reached new heights as various guns rights activists feared the Government was coming for their firearms. Soon, people all over the internet started saying they were “boogaloo ready,”  as some were prepping to “bring on the boogaloo.”

Boogaloo Bois
Is anyone else starting to get all of these groups mixed up? | Source: Twitter 

Just like the Proud Boys, they’re a far-right extremist group that’s usually heavily armed. One thing that sets the Boogaloos apart is their anti-police sentiment. Some members, like Hunter, even fancied themselves allies of the BLM movement. Actual members of the BLM movement would strongly disagree, as the violence and looting undermine their message.

They’re also considered anti-authoritarian and anti-state, with a strong slant towards Libertarianism and anarcho-capitalism (ancap).

They Scoff At Other Militia Groups Like the Three Percenters

You may be starting to think that the Boogaloo Bois sound like a militia group similar to the Three Percenters.

Not so fast.

The BBs have pushed back against the Three Percenters, but not because they’re tied to white supremacy, but because they support a president. The Three Percenters have started aligning with Donald Trump, which, according to some Boogaloo Bois, is a gross misstep.

One Boogaloo member wrote on Facebook :

[Militia/Three Percenters] are always ready to take a knee and blow the state as long as they have an R in front of their name.

Another said:

They’ve gone from protectors of tyranny to protectors of the tyrants. It breaks my heart seeing them act this way.

The Boogaloo Bois allegedly had ties to the Wolverine Watchmen , the group that plotted to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Some BB’s have tried to distance themselves from that group. 

That’s not to say the Boogalooers are on an island unto themselves. They’ve displayed similarities to supporters of the QAnon conspiracy theory. Just like their message board counterparts, Boogalooers think that evil pedophiles control the world. What sets them apart, of course, is they actively want to kill them.

Qanon
QAnon went after Chrissy Teigen earlier this year. | Source: Twitter 

In summary, the Boogaloo Bois are a complicated, new militia group that appears to still be figuring itself out. Sometimes it appears to be a heavily-armed, right-wing version of Antifa. Both groups played similar roles as disruptive anarchists during the BLM movement. Sometimes it appears to be a more unhinged version of the Proud Boys.

One thing is for sure, at some point, we hope all these boys will grow up and find a peaceful way to express themselves.


Disclaimer: The opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of CCN.com.