Oath Keepers on trial, extremists on Spotify and white supremacists hassling a church

Will Carless, USA TODAY
·4 min read

This week, my colleague Ella Lee and I did a deep dive into the Oath Keepers Jan. 6 seditious conspiracy trial, which started Tuesday. Meanwhile, Spotify has a white supremacism problem, according to a new report from the Anti-Defamation League, and a church outside Houston came under fire from hate groups for hosting an LGTBQ+ friendly event.

It’s the week in extremism.

Oath Keepers trial: Oath Keepers trial: A 1800s-inspired defense meets most significant Jan. 6 prosecution yet

Stewart Rhodes profile: Vegas parking valet, Yale law graduate, unhinged Oath Keepers leader: Who is Stewart Rhodes?

Oath Keepers President Stewart Rhodes shows off a new tattoo at the Casa Di Dolore Tattoo shop in Newburgh, NY on June 2, 2020.
Oath Keepers President Stewart Rhodes shows off a new tattoo at the Casa Di Dolore Tattoo shop in Newburgh, NY on June 2, 2020.

Oath Keepers on trial

In probably the most high-profile case to come out of last year’s Capitol insurrection, Stewart Rhodes, founder of extremist group the Oath Keepers, and his alleged accomplices are on trial this week for seditious conspiracy. We broke down the prosecution in a story this week laying out the charges, Rhodes’ extraordinary defense, and what the outcome of the case could mean for armed far-right extremist groups.

  • Rhodes is charged with seditious conspiracy. Prosecutors allege he and his fellow Oath Keepers plotted for months to disrupt Congress' certification of the 2020 election results on Jan. 6.

  • Rhodes's attorneys have introduced a unique, first-of-its kind defense that hinges on an inventive interpretation of 1800's-era statutes known as the Insurrection Act.

  • The TL;DR version: Rhodes argues that he and others believed former President Trump would invoke the Insurrection Act on Jan. 6 and call in the "unorganized militia" to help stop what they consider a fraudulent election. He claims his actions were therefore legal.

  • One expert called the defense "absurd." Two others said it is unlikely to succeed.

The trial gets under way: We'll be in the courtroom to watch and report on it, with opening arguments from an entire raft of defense attorneys starting Monday.

Rhodes and four Oath Keepers are on trial in the case that is expected to last six to seven weeks. Four others charged in the same indictment face trial in November.

Spotify, the giant streaming service, is also hosting pro-extremist music, a new report claims.
Spotify, the giant streaming service, is also hosting pro-extremist music, a new report claims.

Spotify's white supremacist problem

The highly popular music streaming service Spotify is still hosting white supremacist and other far-right extremist music, despite calls from activists to take the tunes down, according to a report late last week from the Anti-Defamation League's Center on Extremism.

  • The ADL identified 40 white supremacist artists with a presence on Spotify, ranging from "Fashwave" (a subset of the non-extremist "Vaporwave" movement promoted by neo-Nazis) to national socialist black metal.

  • As the ADL notes:  "Music has long been an effective way to radicalize extremists, allowing artists to both entertain and indoctrinate vulnerable listeners."

  • The report also notes Spotify has failed to take action on findings that it is hosting extremist music. The platform was notified about the presence of white supremacist artists back in February and despite re-vamping its rules, those rules don't seem to be being enforced, the ADL notes.

  • A Spotify spokesperson told Gizmodo, "We recognize that even with our continued innovation and investments when it comes to moderation, there is always more work to be done.”

Broader context: Spotify is just one of many tech companies with a track record of struggling to tackle extremist content.  We've written about Twitter, YouTube and Facebook's approaches before.

Another LGTBQ+ event targeted by hate

This year has seen a surge in protests against events at churches, businesses and schools that celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. It seems hardly a week goes by without Proud Boys, neo-Nazis or other extremist groups showing up at events to display hate and intolerance. This week was no exception.

  • White supremacists including people aligned with the extremist groups Patriot Front and the Proud Boys showed up at First Christian Church in Katy, Texas, outside Houston to protest a drag queen bingo fundraiser to benefit Transparent Closet, a free clothing resource for transgender youth, the Daily Kos reported.

  • The far-right protesters held up antisemitic and homophobic signs and also clashed with counter-protesters outside the church.

Context: These events, particularly ones with a drag queen aspect, have become flashpoints for clashes between far-right extremists and far-left activists aligned with the anti-fascist movement. Increasingly, protesters and counter-protesters are showing up at these events armed.

Catch up: Our investigation of a new legal case against Antifa, plus more, last week in extremism

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Oath Keepers and Stewart Rhodes trial; extremist music on Spotify