Rising Violence in US Infrastructure Linked to Neo-Nazi Ideology

Regan Prater has been charged with arson for the fire at Highlander Center in New Market, Tennessee, on May 7, 2025. This nonprofit is historically significant in the Civil Rights Movement. Court documents reveal Prater's involvement in neo-Nazi Telegram chats. Earlier this year, Brandon Clint Russell, founder of Atomwaffen Division, was convicted for conspiring to sabotage an energy facility in Baltimore, while in fall 2024, Skyler Philippi targeted Nashville's power grid with an explosive drone, motivated by white supremacist beliefs. My three-decade study of right-wing extremism highlights a troubling trend: a growing readiness among white supremacists to disrupt societal stability through violence against essential infrastructure. An alarming concept emerging from these groups is “accelerationism,” where chaos is seen as a pathway to ignite racial conflict and collapse liberal democracy, ultimately aiming to establish a white ethnostate. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for identifying and mitigating their threats.