The Marine Corps has updated its protocols for reporting extremism among service members. There are allegations of a Russian misinformation initiative involving far-right influencers. Additionally, a white supremacist group held a rally in downtown Tallahassee.

This is your weekly overview of extremism, presented by YSL News.

Marines instructed to report extremist activities promptly

In response to an uptick in scandals concerning U.S. Marines linked to extremist factions, the Corps unveiled new regulations at the end of August. These rules mandate that any discovery of extreme behavior must be reported within 30 minutes.

As reported by YSL News last year, initiatives to address extremism within the military following the January 6 events faced significant delays and were often not put into practice.

• The Marine Corps issued a detailed guide for addressing extremist behavior at the end of August, which includes a hotline for Marines and their commanders to use for reporting extremist actions as soon as they occur.
• This guidance specifies that if a military member has a security clearance, it should be suspended promptly based on the seriousness of the claim. This regulation was inspired by notable cases where military personnel shared sensitive classified information online.
• The new Marine Corps regulations are similar to measures already taken by the U.S. Navy and Army.

In 2021, the Pentagon revised its definition of extremism. The updated definition prohibits military members from “engaging in electronic and cyber activities related to extremist behaviors or groups supporting extremist actions.”

DOJ: Far-right influencers financially linked to Russian intel

The Department of Justice has unsealed an indictment asserting that two Russian nationals orchestrated a secret influence operation that sent millions of dollars to prominent right-wing figures in the U.S. through various media companies.

• The indicted Russians, who were affiliated with the state media outlet Russia Today, allegedly directed nearly $10 million to a Tennessee-based content creator to produce English-language videos for platforms like TikTok, Instagram, X, and YouTube.

• Several commentators involved in this content enterprise, such as Tim Pool, Dave Rubin, and Benny Johnson, have recently claimed they were unaware of this disinformation operation in their social media responses.

• This isn’t the first instance of Russian agents being accused of financing American activism and extremism. Last year, four U.S. citizens, including the leader of the far-left extremist group Black Hammer, faced charges for collaborating with the Russian government. That case is still ongoing in Florida.

Tallahassee sees white supremacist group demonstration

• Patriot Front is recognized for such public protests, where members typically wear chinos and shirts while concealing their identities with masks. In 2022, 32 of its members were arrested in Idaho for riot-related conspiracy.
• Led by Thomas Rousseau, the group has been the target of infiltration and hacking on multiple occasions. Despite presenting itself as an organization that upholds traditional values, leaked communications reveal its true commitment to white supremacist ideologies.
• After the Tallahassee march, community members took down the stickers, labeling them as “racist garbage.”

Statistic of the week: Two years

That’s the duration Robert Rundo will serve in prison as part of a plea deal reached this week with federal prosecutors. Rundo, who led a white supremacist “fight club” called the Rise Above Movement, faced federal riot charges linked to a series of violent altercations in California in 2017. He escaped to Eastern Europe and was extradited from Romania last year to confront these charges.