QAnon: What to know about the fringe conspiracy theory and its influence

The QAnon movement, and the conspiracy theory motivating it, has been gaining significantly extra media attention in the final yr and in latest weeks — particularly in the wake of the lethal Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol building.

Here’s what you want to know about the fringe motion.

Where did it begin?

QAnon began on the 4chan message board — an anarchic picture board that options discussions, pictures, memes and theories on all the things from politics to anime.

There, an individual claiming to be a extremely positioned authorities official — who glided by the title Q Clearance Patriot — started posting in 2017. He quickly gained followers together with his claims — referred to as “Q Drops” — about how baby traffickers and Satan worshippers have been looking for to undermine President Trump with the assist of world elites in the U.S. and overseas.

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The drops are cryptic and laced with symbolism and hints. In flip, “bakers” interpret these drops, posting explanations on-line and in YouTube movies about how they apply to the actual world.

QAnon followers see Trump as a determine combating again towards these forces, ordained by God to battle again towards the world cabal culminating in a course of referred to as “The Storm.”

Followers typically view politics via that lens, seeing the coronavirus as a bioweapon being wielded by this shadowy cabal that may be unfold by way of 5G networks. Many seemed for hints in Trump tweets and speeches, believing he’s speaking or confirming the Q drops.

However, many in the motion have been reportedly dismayed by Trump’s election defeat and concession — which works towards that narrative — though others have provide you with methods to work round this.

“We gave it our all. Now we need to keep our chins up and go back to our lives as best we are able,” one major Q administrator mentioned after President Biden was inaugurated.

The identification of Q stays a thriller, though many have speculated as to his/her/their identification. Some consider it’s multiple particular person, whereas others consider it began as a joke that obtained uncontrolled. An NBC News investigation discovered that the Q theory may be traced again to three customers who sparked dialogue about the baseless conspiracy theory — though it did not establish who Q was.

While it started on-line via 4chan, and unfold via on-line boards like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, QAnon theories have been dripping into actual life and changing into a part of a home terror menace that has caught the consideration of DHS and different safety companies.

Surge in reputation

While the quantity of QAnon supporters is exhausting to decide, it seems the fringe group has seen a surge in reputation in 2020. A December NPR ballot discovered that 17% of Americans agreed with the assertion, “A group of Satan-worshipping elites who run a child sex ring are trying to control our politics and media.”

A Pew Research poll in September discovered that Americans who had heard of QAnon’s conspiracy theory had jumped to 47% from simply 23% in March.

Separately, the motion has tapped into different conspiracy theories about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and who was accountable for 9/11.

Trump sparked controversy in August when he mentioned of QAnon that he didn’t know a lot about the motion, however “I understand they like me very much, which I appreciate” and mentioned he believed it was gaining in reputation.

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Twitter introduced it had suspended greater than 70,000 QAnon accounts in the days following the Jan. 6 riot. Facebook disbanded greater than 57,000 pages, teams, Facebook profiles and Instagram accounts as nicely.

The Jan. 6 Capitol riot

QAnon had acquired media protection all through 2020 however that ramped up significantly after the Jan. 6 riot on Capitol Hill, which left 5 folks lifeless — together with a police officer. The mob consisted of Trump supporters in addition to QAnon supporters wielding indicators and Q slogans.

While it wasn’t clear what number of of these rioting believed in the narrative, many backers of QAnon have been vocal of their help of the push on the Capitol throughout the certification of the Electoral College.

One man, who described himself as “QAnon Shaman” and sported face paint and a furry hat with horns, turned a world picture of the protests themselves.

The Department of Homeland Security has since issued a bulletin warning of “ideologically-motivated violent extremists with objections to the exercise of governmental authority and the presidential transition, as well as other perceived grievances fueled by false narratives, [who] could continue to mobilize to incite or commit violence.”

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene

It has additionally introduced scrutiny on one new Republican freshman, Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has been accused of being a part of the Q motion and made previous statements about its conspiracy theories

Greene, a freshman rep from northwest Georgia, sought to introduce herself to the House final week as a “very regular American” who did not belief the authorities and media and went down a flawed path with QAnon conspiracies that she now regrets. 

“I was allowed to believe things that weren’t true and I would ask questions … and talk about them. And that is absolutely what I regret. If it weren’t for the Facebook posts and comments that I liked in 2018, I wouldn’t be standing here today,” Greene mentioned.

Greene was underneath fireplace for statements endorsing violence towards prime Democrats and touting theories about mass shootings being staged and doubt as to whether or not a aircraft crashed into the Pentagon on 9/11.

Greene mentioned she’s since “walked away” from QAnon and when she ran for Congress in 2020 she by no means campaigned on any of the conspiracies that she posted about in 2018. However, in an interview on ABC News 9 in July final yr, Greene didn’t denounce QAnon and mentioned she has “only ever seen patriotic sentiment coming out of” it.

The House voted to take away her from committee assignments.

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Other Republicans at the state and native degree have flirted with the motion. However, a variety of prime Republicans have urged the celebration to unequivocally reject the conspiracies.

“Until last week, many party leaders and consultants thought they could preach the Constitution while winking at QAnon,” Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., wrote in The Atlantic. “They can’t. The GOP must reject conspiracy theories or be consumed by them.”

Fox News’ GIllian Turner, Marisa Schultz and The Associated Press contributed to this report.