On Telegram, a violent preview of what may unfold on election day and after

Various right-wing organizations, utilizing Telegram as a platform to coordinate offline activities, are encouraging their supporters to monitor the voting process and defend their rights, hinting at the possibility of ensuing disorder.

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) penned a letter to President Droupadi Murmu on Monday, accusing that chief minister Hemant Soren encountered a delay of over 90 minutes in getting clearance for his helicopter to depart due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the state that is gearing up for elections. The party in power appealed to the President to step in and guarantee equal opportunities for all political factions to showcase their star campaigners during the upcoming assembly elections.

Supriyo Bhattacharya, the spokesperson for JMM, mentioned that Hemant Soren’s helicopter was immobilized due to security protocol concerning Prime Minister Modi.

Messages from “election integrity” organizations in twelve states, including key battlegrounds such as Pennsylvania, Georgia, Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Michigan, were scrutinized by The Times. The majority of their communications were filled with false information, conspiracy theories, and disturbing visuals.

The analysis uncovered that over 4,000 posts from the group urged members to take action by participating in local election meetings, joining protest demonstrations, and contributing financially. In contrast, posts from various other conservative groups examined by the Times advised their supporters to brace for potential violence. This transition from online rhetoric to real-world engagement saw the dissemination of right-wing ideologies from conventional social media platforms to offline spaces.

The main attraction of our campaign, Hemant Soren, had a planned speech at a campaign gathering in Bazar Tand, Simdega at 2.25 pm following a prior meeting at Gudri in West Singhbhum at 1.45 pm. The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, was also scheduled to speak at an election rally in Chaibasa at 2.40 pm. The distance between Gudri and Chaibasa spans 80 km, while it is 90 km to Simdega. The Election Commission had given the green light for Soren’s visit. However, due to security concerns regarding the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister’s helicopter faced a delay of one-and-a-half hours.

Paul M. Barrett, the deputy director of the Stern Center for Business and Human Rights at New York University, highlighted that Telegram stands out from other platforms by fostering a productive atmosphere rather than focusing on self-expression, ‘owning the libs’, and malicious antics.

Among the accounts on Telegram dedicated to ‘election integrity,’ there exists a decentralized network focused on scrutinizing the voting process and spreading theories of election misconduct. These theories include baseless allegations like the assertion that election staff intentionally provide Republican voters with Sharpies that cannot be read by voting machines.

A New York-based channel dedicated to monitoring election processes showcased recruitment advertisements from United Sovereign Americans, a self-proclaimed national organization advocating for election integrity. Noteworthy is the fact that the group’s legal team includes a former solicitor general of Pennsylvania, who notably represented Trump during his second impeachment trial following the events of January 6th.

The group, represented by an image of Uncle Sam and a striking red banner exclaiming “WE NEED YOU!”, has recently alleged, without substantiated proof, that the 2022 voter records reveal “millions of ‘irregularities’ constituting election fraud when overlooked.” Several assertions concerning voter fraud have already been discredited. They chose not to provide a comment in response to a query.

A different organization, specializing in election monitoring in Pennsylvania, provided monetary incentives to election observers, contingent upon their service in Allegheny County, a historical Democratic stronghold that is home to Pittsburgh.

The organization mentioned, “Complete the form with your details, and we will reach out to prepare you for Election Day!

The People’s Audit, a collective managing an additional Telegram channel, shared a video depicting a “plausible hypothetical” situation. The video suggested a scenario in which the Department of Homeland Security utilized the driver’s licenses of undocumented immigrants to orchestrate large-scale voting support for the Democratic Vice President, Kamala Harris. Despite the illegality and infrequency of noncitizens participating in federal elections, this speculative situation was presented.

The video ultimately suggested that engaging in identity theft, election interference, and treason would lead to severe consequences, including the possibility of facing the death penalty.

Kris Jurski, the individual responsible for sharing the video, mentioned via Telegram that it was removed from social platform X. Expressing gratitude for its presence on Telegram, Kris utilized the platform to promote a webinar focusing on safeguarding voter rolls and preventing fraud. No comments were provided in response to a request for further information.

Numerous messages questioning the credibility of elections circulated among extremist factions such as the Proud Boys, who have shown a preference for Telegram over other platforms due to restrictions imposed by websites such as Facebook, Instagram, and X.

The posts by the group raised concerns about the potential challenges states could face in completing the election result count on the night of the election. Moreover, they perpetuated false information regarding voter registration figures in Michigan. Notably, one video depicted a distressing scene where a truck adorned with a Confederate flag pursued immigrant children, accompanied by a caption insinuating a disturbing sequence of events following a hypothetical future inauguration day.

Wendy Via, a co-founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, observed a disturbing undertone in online posts, noting a surge of 317% in election denialism on Telegram in October. Despite not explicitly inciting violence or advocating for targeting individuals, the language used carried a troubling message. According to Via, such a strong right-wing sentiment was not mirrored by a similar left-wing movement.

Many Telegram channels operated by various factions of the Proud Boys have been rejoicing in their newfound prominence in recent months, particularly in light of the perceived recognition from Trump and his supporters. Numerous accounts highlighted the significance of Trump sporting black-and-yellow ties and hats, colors synonymous with the Proud Boys, in the lead-up to a recent rally at Madison Square Garden in New York, where former Fox News host Tucker Carlson was also seen donning similar attire.

Inquired about whether there was any intention from Trump to send a message, a campaign spokesperson bluntly replied, “Nope, not at all.” While Carlson remained silent on comment requests, the only communication on the matter was a social media post where he insinuated that The Times could easily identify a symbol associated with Proud Boys.

According to Michael Loadenthal, a political violence researcher at the University of Cincinnati, there is a sense of arousal among them, noting that Proud Boys organizations have been gathering in public less frequently than they did prior to the 2020 election. He mentioned a prevailing sentiment of righteousness among them.

Recruitment appeals shared on the public Telegram channels of several Proud Boys factions have aimed to leverage the dangers associated with election fraud, frequently hinting at a call for violent action. A particular image that gained traction depicted a masked individual armed with weaponry.

The message stated, “Individuals who are free do not follow government officials.