A far-right militia group, Veterans on Patrol, is spreading unfounded claims that the U.S. military caused Hurricane Helene using weather manipulation technology, according to a report from The Guardian. The group’s inflammatory rhetoric, shared on Telegram, includes calls for attacks on military equipment and infrastructure, raising concerns about potential violence.
Veterans on Patrol, led by Michael “Lewis Arthur” Meyer, has a long history of spreading conspiracy theories and engaging in vigilante activities. Recently, the group claimed the hurricane, which killed over 200 people and devastated parts of western North Carolina, was an “act of war” orchestrated to secure lithium mines and advance so-called “smart city” developments.
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Posts from the group’s Telegram account proposed violent actions, including targeting military bases, destroying power and water lines, and detaining military leaders. A poll conducted in the group’s public Telegram channel showed 72% of respondents supporting these measures, prompting fears of escalation among extremism watchdogs.
FEMA, tasked with Hurricane Helene recovery, was forced to alter its relief efforts in North Carolina due to militia threats. One individual has already been arrested for armed intimidation.
This isn’t Veterans on Patrol’s first clash with authorities. The group previously vandalized migrant water stations in Arizona and falsely accused homeless encampments of being trafficking hubs.
Meanwhile, recovery in efforts western North Carolina continue. On Monday, Nov. 18, nearly two months after Hurricane Helene struck, Asheville’s water system was fully restored, allowing over 100,000 residents to drink and bathe safely for the first time since the storm.
A FAR-RIGHT MILITIA GROUP KNOWN AS ‘VETERANS ON PATROL’ IS MAKING HEADLINES AGAIN, THIS TIME FOR SPREADING DISINFORMATION AND ISSUING THREATS AGAINST THE U-S MILITARY… CLAIMING HURRICANE HELENE… A DEVASTATING STORM THAT KILLED OVER 200 PEOPLE ACROSS SEVERAL STATES… WAS CAUSED BY GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED WEATHER WEAPONS.
THE GROUP, LED BY SELF-PROCLAIMED PASTOR MICHAEL “LEWIS ARTHUR” MEYER… IS ACCUSING THE U-S MILITARY OF DELIBERATELY STEERING THE HURRICANE TO SECURE LITHIUM MINES AND BUILD WHAT THEY CALL “SMART CITIES”…
IN POSTS ON THEIR TELEGRAM CHANNEL, THE GROUP CALLED HURRICANE HELENE AN “ACT OF WAR”. EARLIER IN NOVEMBER, THE MILITIA POSTED:
“THE US MILITARY IS CURRENTLY POISONING THE SKIES OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA… AFTER IT HAS ALREADY DESTROYED THIS AREA WITH WEATHER WEAPON HELENE”.
FOLLOWERS WERE POLLED ON HOW TO RESPOND. OPTIONS INCLUDED TARGETING MILITARY EQUIPMENT, DESTROYING INFRASTRUCTURE, AND EVEN DETAINING MILITARY LEADERS. SEVENTY-TWO PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS SUPPORTED ALL THREE ACTIONS.
THESE CLAIMS HAVE HAD REAL CONSEQUENCES. FEMA WAS FORCED TO MODIFY ITS HURRICANE RELIEF EFFORTS IN NORTH CAROLINA DUE TO MILITIA THREATS, AND ONE MAN WAS ARRESTED FOR TERRORISTIC BEHAVIOR AFTER MAKING THREATS AGAINST FEMA WORKERS IN LAKE LURE.
VETERANS ON PATROL HAS A HISTORY OF VIGILANTE ACTIVITIES, FROM DESTROYING MIGRANT WATER STATIONS IN ARIZONA TO ACCUSING HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS OF BEING HUMAN TRAFFICKING SITES. MEYER HIMSELF… WHO ACKNOWLEDGES HE IS NOT ACTUALLY A VETERAN… HAS BEEN ARRESTED MULTIPLE TIMES ON VARIOUS CHARGES RANGING FROM TRESPASSING TO ASSAULT.
AS FOR HURRICANE HELENE, THE STORM LEFT REAL DEVASTATION IN ITS WAKE. WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA’S WATER SYSTEM WAS ONLY FULLY RESTORED THIS WEEK… NEARLY TWO MONTHS AFTER THE STORM STRUCK.
AS CONSPIRACY THEORIES SPREAD, REAL RECOVERY WORK CONTINUES… MADE ALL THE MORE DIFFICULT BY THREATS AND MISINFORMATION. MORE THAN 100-THOUSAND RESIDENTS CAN NOW SAFELY DRINK AND BATHE USING TAP WATER, A MILESTONE IN A LONG AND COSTLY RECOVERY PROCESS.
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