ATF Warns Police of The “Boogaloo Movement”

Ammoland – by John Crump

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND –-(Ammoland.com)-The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Baltimore field office, in conjunction with the Baltimore Police Department, has issued an “Officer Safety Bulletin” warning police departments of the “Boogaloo movement.”

According to the bulletin, the agency has noticed people posting on private social media groups about the “Boogaloo” by “individuals who identify with extreme second amendment rights.” The notice says the law enforcement agencies have seen threats against federal and local law enforcement officials in these posts. It warns that these social media posts expect a second American Civil War.

The Boogaloo is a meme about a second American Civil War/Revolutionary war. The meme takes its name from the 1984 movie, “Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo #ad.” Social media users sometimes refer to it as the “Big Igloo.” The meme has become a sign of protest against what gun owners see as an ever-encroaching government. Gun rights advocates have shown up to rallies across the country wearing Hawaiian shirts.

No violence has broken out at any of these pro-rights rallies. In January, several thousand people were wearing Hawaiian shirts at the VCDL Lobby Day in Richmond, Virginia. Despite the massive number of flower print shirts, there wasn’t a single act of violence. Multiple gun-related companies now sell Hawaiian shirts, including mainstream companies like 5.11 Tactical. KAE also offers a “Boogaloo” Cerakoting package for firearms.

The bulletin goes on to warn police that people wearing Hawaiian shirts may possess “multiple types of weapons.”

It warns law enforcement that an American flag with an igloo instead of stars and a flower pattern replacing one of the stripes might be a sign of danger. It does go on to caution officers that someone wearing a Hawaiian shirt doesn’t give them probable cause to conduct an investigation.

AmmoLand News spoke to a Baltimore beat cop who was not authorized to talk about the bulletin, but he shared his thoughts with AmmoLand. He told us that he and other officers think that the bulletin is laughable and shows the disconnect between the higher-ups and the rank and file officers. He points out that he owns a few Hawaiian shirts himself.

The ATF and other government agencies have a history of questionable research when it comes to domestic extremism. In the FBI’s “Preventing Violent Extremism in Schools” publication, the agency list playing video games like “Call of Duty” as a sign of extremism. The majority of teenagers play video games at least casually.

According to a classified FBI Document titled “IMV Frequently Asked Questions,” the FBI warns that individuals with military or law enforcement experience are a risk for extremism. In the same document, the government says that using encryption, IP-anonymizers, and password-protected websites is a sign of extremism. These actions are highly recommended by network security experts to protect or identity online.

Bureau of JusticeAssistance Terrorism Indicators, State and Local Anti-Terrorism Training PDF

In documents obtained by Gun Owners of America about the program called State and Local Anti-Terrorism Training (SLATT), the Department of Justice classifies anyone who buys “military-style weapons, clothing, or equipment” as suspicious. It goes even further by stating that anyone who purchases large quantities of ammunition or who fires automatic firearms as also suspicious.

Gun rights advocates feel that documents like the “Boogaloo Movement Officer Safety Bulletin” is yet another targeted action by the federal government against law-abiding gun owners.

The ATF and Baltimore police would not comment on the leaked bulletin citing that they did not write the bulletin for public consumption.

About John Crump

John is a NRA instructor and a constitutional activist. He is the former CEO of Veritas Firearms, LLC, and is the co-host of The Patriot News Podcast which can be found at www.blogtalkradio.com/patriotnews. John has written extensively on the patriot movement including 3%’ers, Oath Keepers, and Militias. In addition to the Patriot movement, John has written about firearms, interviewed people of all walks of life, and on the Constitution. John lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and sons and is currently working on a book on leftist deplatforming methods and can be followed on Twitter at @crumpyss, on Facebook at realjohncrump, or at www.crumpy.com.