American Racism Is a National Security Threat

"That same night, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox pleaded that authorities " need[ed] as much help as we can possibly get" to identify a suspect. Though the shooter's identity was unknown, odds were fairly high they would be white - they had evaded attention in an overwhelmingly white crowd, on a majority white campus, in a very white state. Police opined the shooter " blended well" in those white environs, a fact made evident by the need for the manhunt."

"The AP, likewise, warned that Chinese, Iranian and pro-Kremlin "online bots" were using Kirk's death to increase "divisions or even spur further violence." And the New York Times wrote foreign entities were " using bot accounts posing as Americans " to spread toxic narratives. Gov. Cox also urged caution, suggesting Very Online Americans were being baited by foreign adversaries trying to gin up anger and division."

"Gov. Cox also urged caution, suggesting Very Online Americans were being baited by foreign adversaries trying to gin up anger and division. "There is a tremendous amount of disinformation we are tracking," Cox told assembled media the evening after the shooting. "What we're seeing is, our adversaries want violence. We have bots from Russia, China, all over the world, that are trying to instill disinformation and encourage violence.""

Charlie Kirk was fatally shot on a Utah college campus, and authorities initially had no suspect identity. Officials noted the shooter likely blended into overwhelmingly white crowds and campus environments. Social media quickly filled with racist incitements and anti-Black calls for violence. Analysts and news organizations identified many posts originating from Russian, Chinese, Iranian and pro-Kremlin bot networks posing as Americans to inflame passions, increase divisions and potentially spur violence. Utah Governor Spencer Cox warned that foreign adversaries were baiting very online Americans and described a global disinformation effort seeking to encourage violence.

Read at The Nation