Countering Violent Extremism COMMUNITY AWARENESS BRIEFING Leslie Mongin & Nadeen Ibrahim Denver Police Department This product contains U.S. person information that is subject to legal restrictions on its access, use, or disclosure. This information has been deemed necessary for the intended recipient to understand or assess the information provided. It has been highlighted in this document with the label USPER and should be handled in accordance with the recipient’s intelligence oversight and/information handling procedures. VIOLENT EXTREMISM HAS MANY FACES . I . THERE IS NO ONE PROFILE OBJECTIVES UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS OF RADICALIZATION TO VIOLENCE MOTIVATIONS FOR JOINING A VIOLENT EXTREMIST MOVEMENT HOW VIOLENT EXTREMISTS RECRUIT THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN RECRUITMENT WHAT YOU CAN DO TO PREVENT RADICALIZATION TO VIOLENCE WHO YOU CAN CONTACT SHOULD YOU HAVE CONCERNS WHAT IS VIOLENT EXTREMISM? “Violent extremism” refers to violence committed in the name of ideology to further a political or social agenda. In the United States, ideology, regardless of the cause it supports, is protected; force or violence on its behalf is not. VIOLENT EXTREMISM MILITIA VIOLENT EXTREMISM SOVEREIGN CITIZEN VIOLENT EXTREMISM ANARCHIST VIOLENT EXTREMISM WHITE SUPREMACY VIOLENT EXTREMISM ANIMAL RIGHTS & ENVIRONMENTAL VIOLENT EXTREMISM ABORTION VIOLENT EXTREMISM BLACK SEPARATIST/IDENTITY VIOLENT EXTREMISM AL-QA’IDA & ISIS-INSPIRED VIOLENT EXTREMISM RADICALIZATION ! Radicalization is the process by which individuals come to believe their engagement in or facilitation of non-state violence to achieve social and political change is necessary and justified. Anyone can become radicalized, there is no single profile. MOBILIZATION Mobilization is the process by which individuals take action to prepare for or engage in violence or material support of violence to advance their cause. The majority of people who radicalize do not mobilize. DRIVERS OF RADICALIZATION TO VIOLENCE No single factor leads to radicalization An individual may possess some or all of these factors and not radicalize to violence. SIMILARITIES AMONG VIOLENT EXTREMIST GROUPS ❖ LOOK FOR VULNERABILITIES ❖ FOCUS ON GRIEVANCES ❖ PROVIDE A COLLECTIVE IDENTITY ❖ HOLD POLARIZING NARRATIVES ❖ PROMOTE VIOLENT ACTION AS THE ONLY SOLUTION EXTREMIST NARRATIVES ARE POLARIZING 01 “We are part of a vast community” “The government has brought ruin and disgrace to us” “We are the target of government aggression” Therefore… “The government is at war with us” 03 “We must counter this with violence” VS 02 VIOLENT EXTREMIST NARRATIVES [4?4.th vle?l__?a?aSJ ?69)4' Lam?xgl AJLufllM In the United States, ideology, regardless of the cause it supports, is protected; force or violence on its behalf is not. AMERICANS MOTIVATED BY EXTREMIST IDEOLOGIES U.S. PERSON U.S. PERSON SENTENCED SENTENCED BRUCE DOUCETTE DYLANN ROOF U.S. PERSON U.S. PERSON U.S. PERSON CONVICTED U.S. PERSON CONVICTED GAVIN WRIGHT, CURTIS ALLEN, PATRICK STEIN U.S. PERSON CONVICTED SENTENCED DANA WEST AMERICANS MOTIVATED BY EXTREMIST IDEOLOGIES U.S. PERSON U.S. PERSON SENTENCED SENTENCED ROBERT LEWIS DEAR, JR. WALTER BOND U.S. PERSON DECEASED MICAH XAVIER JOHNSON SENTENCED SHANNON CONLEY DOMESTIC EXTREMIST MOVEMENT RECRUITMENT THEMES Meet your- I an??'nf?gi? M1111 . DIDiversity' is just a code word for 4 45? VLTIMA RATIO POPULO 0?04 A99, ISIS RECRUITMENT THEMES Pr?, . r' L, Av?u RHIWAH OPERATIONAL INSTRUCTIONS ONLINE 5 3 W9 #DustyFeet I 1 . 1311911110 for-t gm (rm-wolf \vnh Hi1. A r. .. MESSAGING PLATFORMS RETALIATION & HATE CRIMES Bias motivated crime is a criminal act against a person or property that is motivated by an offender’s bias against an individual’s or a group’s: Race Religion Age National Origin Sex/Gender Physical/ Mental Disability DPD has a bias motivated investigative unit and hate crimes hotline. Sexual Orientation PREVENTION COUNTERING THE TACTICS OF ALL VIOLENT EXTREMISTS 1 Address vulnerabilities and increase community resilience 2 Be conscious of grievances 3 Provide a community of interest 4 Promote civic engagement as a solution 5 Be alert to violent polarizing narratives WHAT CAN YOUR COMMUNITY DO? Create community-based intervention programs Challenge violent extremist narratives Develop local programs based on violence prevention models Host community awareness events RESPONDING TO THE SIKH TEMPLE SHOOTING WHAT CAN YOU DO? STAY SAFE ONLINE HAVE OPEN COMMUNICATION LOOK FOR BEHAVIOR CHANGES KNOW YOUR RESOURCES KNOW YOUR RESOURCES COLORADO RESILIENCE COLLABORATIVE SAFE2TELL COLORADO CENTER FOR TRAUMA & RESILIENCE DENVER POLICE DEPARTMENT