Last week in the United States and Canada, demonstration activity decreased significantly in both countries. Labor demonstrations continued to make up the largest share of events in both countries, though they declined substantially compared to the week prior. Multiple demonstrations and acts of intimidation related to unfounded allegations of election fraud took place in the United States around the midterms last week. This activity took place at lower levels than those recorded by ACLED during the 2020 general election, however. Finally, reported militia, militant social movement, and openly white supremacist activity continued but at a lower rate in the United States.
In Canada, demonstrations led by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and affiliated educational workers significantly decreased last week, following a spike in activity when they launched a strike over legislation affecting their pay and working conditions the week prior. On 7 November, the Ontario government announced that it was willing to resume negotiations with CUPE, following a breakdown that sparked the week prior’s demonstrations, if CUPE agreed to withdraw their job action (City News Toronto, 7 November 2022). Almost all workers returned to work last week, though a small number of demonstrations were still held throughout Ontario in the days leading up to the government’s announcement that it was willing to return to restart negotiations.
In the United States, multiple demonstrations and violent events related to the midterm election took place last week, though the overall level of activity was substantially lower than during the 2020 general election. Ahead of the vote, on 5 November, demonstrators against the reelection of New York Governor Kathy Hochul gathered at her campaign rally in New York City. A demonstrator carrying a sign saying, “Vote her out,” was reportedly punched and choked by a group of people suspected to be Hochul supporters. New York City Council Member Krystal Hudson was also allegedly involved in the altercation (Yahoo, 6 November 2022).
On the day of the election, 8 November, a man with a knife entered a polling place in West Bend, Wisconsin, and demanded that the location “stop the voting.” Police detained the man, who had previously sent handwritten threats to Wisconsin political figures (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 14 November 2022). Several demonstrations were also reported on election day, including a demonstration against gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke near a polling place in Dallas, Texas, and a demonstration making unsubstantiated claims of “voter fraud” outside a voting tabulation center in Phoenix, Arizona.
Following the election, on 11 November, a group of six to eight people took videos and photos of election staff and their car license plates at a county election office in Great Falls, Montana. The group eventually left after a local Republican official and election monitor assured them that ballots inside the office were being tabulated fairly.
Reported far-right militia and militant social movement activity continued in the United States last week at lower levels than the week prior. On 5 November, the Verde Valley Preparedness Team held a recruitment and public information event in Cottonwood, Arizona. Elsewhere in Arizona, the Maricopa County Preparedness Team held a similar meeting in Surprise on 8 November. On 10 November, members of the Proud Boys, the head of Protect Texas Kids, and at least one Groyper gathered at the campus of the University of Texas at Arlington, Texas, in opposition to a student demonstration against a Turning Point USA event. The students accused Turning Point USA of espousing anti-transgender views.
Openly white supremacist activity in the United States continued at a slightly lower rate last week than the week prior. Members of Patriot Front dropped banners at overpasses in Alabama, Washington, and Rhode Island bearing slogans including “we will not be silenced” and “America first” last week. Patriot Front also held fitness and sparring training sessions in Tennessee, California, and Idaho, as well as a food drive in Birmingham, Alabama. Meanwhile, on 11 November, antisemitic flyers promoting the Goyim Defense League were distributed to residences in McKinleyville, California.
Note: This dashboard automatically updates to cover the latest four weeks of data released by ACLED. Use the date filters to view data for the one-week period covered by this Regional Overview.
