I just finished Richard Hofstadter’s 1964 essay ‘The Paranoid Style in American Politics.’

This seemed relevant, re: Rideau Hall, since reporting identified the suspect as trafficking in QAnon conspiracies, and believing Canada was descending into communist dictatorship.

Hurren hoped his actions would serve as a ‘wake up call’ and ‘turning point,’ according to Global. VICE broke the news he trafficked in QAnon memes.

His case remains before the courts and he’s presumed innocent. More info is likely to come out about his worldview.

But it’s worth pointing out conspiracy theories—often apocalyptic, millenarian, or anti-Semitic in nature—mixed with anti-communist, anti-government sentiment are a hallmark of the far-right.

See this passage from ‘Bring The War Home’ by Kathleen Belew.

The ZOG/NWO conspiracy theories aren’t the same as QAnon, but there’s some overlap.

QAnon is certainly apocalyptic and millenarian, to the point where some have likened it to an emerging religious movement. It also has some anti-Semitic overtones.

And this wouldn’t be the first time a QAnon truther crossed the line from online chatter into real world action.

See this recent NYT piece: https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2020/02/09/us/politics/qanon-trump-conspiracy-theory.amp.html

“Its adherents have been arrested in at least seven episodes, including a murder in New York and an armed standoff with the police near the Hoover Dam. The F.B.I. cited QAnon... about the potential for violence motivated by ‘fringe political conspiracy theories.’”

Speaking of the Rideau Hall incident, see this from Justin Ling: https://mobile.twitter.com/Justin_Ling/status/1281743751325593602