By The Program on Extremism at The George Washington University

At a time in which violent Left Wing extremism is seeing a massive surge, this report sheds light on how armed, organized left-wing militias have quietly emerged across the U.S., often overlooked or mischaracterized by law enforcement, policymakers, and the media.

Drawing on thousands of court records, open-source videos, social media pages, manifestos, and more, the report profiles four prominent groups:

• Redneck Revolt / John Brown Gun Clubs

• The Socialist Rifle Association

• The Not Fucking Around Coalition (NFAC)

• The Huey P. Newton Gun Club / Guerilla Mainframe / Geronimo Tactical

These groups are armed, ideologically driven, and increasingly well-organized - championing causes from anti-fascism and Black nationalism to anti-capitalism. Many boast high levels of veteran involvement and adopt military-style recruitment tactics aimed at active-duty service members and former personnel.

Key findings include:

• Left-wing militias are largely absent from federal extremism frameworks, allowing them to operate with less scrutiny than their right-wing counterparts.

• Their rise correlates with high-profile flashpoints like the Ferguson protests and the 2016 election of Donald Trump.

• They are highly active online, often with little-to-no content moderation, cultivating large digital followings across platforms like TikTok, Reddit, Instagram, and X.

• While less violent overall, these groups glorify attacks by ideological allies and exhibit many of the same behaviors seen in right-wing militia ecosystems.

The Silent Rise of the Left-Wing Militia examines an underexplored and rapidly growing element of the domestic extremist landscape, at a time of rampant political violence across the ideological spectrum and urges policymakers, analysts, and the public to confront a rapidly evolving militia landscape without ideological blinders.

Washington, DC: The Program on Extremism at The George Washington University , 2025. 78p.