LAKE LURE, N.C. — Federal emergency response personnel on Saturday had employees operating in hard-hit Rutherford County, N.C., stop working and move to a different area because of concerns over “armed militia” threatening government workers in the region, according to an email sent to federal agencies helping with response in the state.
Around 1 p.m. Saturday, an official with the U.S. Forest Service, which is supporting recovery efforts after Hurricane Helene along with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, sent an urgent message to numerous federal agencies warning that “FEMA has advised all federal responders Rutherford County, NC, to stand down and evacuate the county immediately. The message stated that National Guard troops ‘had come across x2 trucks of armed militia saying there were out hunting FEMA.’”
“The IMTs [incident management teams] have been notified and are coordinating the evacuation of all assigned personnel in that county,” the email added.
Two federal officials confirmed the authenticity of the email, though it was unclear whether the quoted threat was seen as credible. The National Guard referred questions to FEMA when asked about the incident. One Forest Service official coordinating the Helene recovery said responders moved to a “safe area” and at least some work in that area — which included clearing trees off dozens of damaged and blocked roads to help search-and-rescue crews, as well as groups delivering supplies — was paused.
By Sunday afternoon, personnel were back in place, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The setback is one of the latest examples of growing concerns about safety and security in western North Carolina, where many towns were almost wiped off the map after the historic hurricane made landfall two weeks ago. In the weeks since, misinformation and rumors have made the recovery more difficult, targeting multiple federal agencies operating as part of the recovery.
Federal officials such as the secretary for the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA’s director of public affairs have been the target of antisemitic attacks.
Chimney Rock, in Rutherford County, has become one of the centers of tension and conflict after a rumor spread on social media that government officials planned to seize the decimated village and bulldoze bodies under the rubble. Authorities and news outlets debunked the assertion, but people still took to social media imploring militias to go after FEMA.
A person familiar with FEMA operations, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the agency was working out of an abundance of caution and its teams were operating at fixed locations and secure areas instead of the usual practice of going door to door.
“FEMA continues to support communities impacted by Helene and help survivors apply for assistance,” the person said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe sensitive discussions. “For the safety of our dedicated staff and the disaster survivors we are helping, FEMA has made some operational adjustments.”
The heightening tension has resulted in residents harassing federal employees, said Riva Duncan, a Forest Service official who lives in Asheville.
Duncan, who is also a representative with the Grassroots Wildland Firefighters, said people have been yelling at federal employees delivering aid or showing up to do repairs, saying, “We don’t want your help here.”
One Forest Service employee, she said, was pulling into a gas station when someone yelled at him to leave, saying “We don’t want the government here.”
“It’s terrible because a lot of these folks who need assistance are refusing it because they believe the stuff people are saying about FEMA and the government,” Duncan said. “And it’s sad because they are probably the ones who need the help the most.”
In a text message shared with The Washington Post, a woman said that her child, a Forest Service crew member from California, was one of those who temporarily left the county.
Earlier Saturday, a resident came to a supplies distribution center, now largely run by relief group the Cajun Navy with the help of a Baptist Church organization, and threatened FEMA personnel who were also stationed there in a trailer, according to two Cajun Navy volunteers. Lake Lure Police and Rutherford County Sheriff’s offices confirmed the incident.
Sgt. Herbie Martin with the Spindale Police Department, located about 25 miles outside Lake Lure, was circling the parking lot Sunday afternoon. He also confirmed the incident, saying “he hoped FEMA would come back.”
facforlife on
Fine. Don’t help people in red districts. Let them die. Help the blue cities where the aid workers won’t have to fear for their lives.
Oh no. Fewer dumbfuck red voters and more money for non-idiots. I’m so triggered right now.
I know we won’t fucking do this because Democrats are too goddamn obsessed with doing the right thing. But holy fuck few things would make me happier than dumb shit conservatives finally getting what they wanted and deserve.
Gnom3y on
The *serious* irony here is that these extremely hard-hit areas are Trump Country, and if they don’t get the sheer volume of recovery assistance that only the federal government can provide, they may not be in a position to cast ballots in the November election, which could cause NC to go for Harris instead of Trump.
Katpocalypse-Meow on
They aren’t militias. Every militia was officially converted into the National Guard in the early 1900s. These are gangs at best and terrorists at worst.
iridescentrae on
You fucking assholes. People need that aid.
Nopantsbullmoose on
This is just disgusting. And a preview of what they are going to do when they lose at the polls.
IMSLI on
It’s possible that many people have been misled by right wing influencer-driven conspiracy theories that the federal government is trying to seize the land around Chimney Rock…
As I have been saying for awhile now, today is the most sane day we will have for the foreseeable future.
Emotional_Narwhal304 on
Sunday – Fema workers are driven out by roaming bands of armed MAGA thugs.
Monday – MAGA will collectively scream about how Fema isn’t helping red districts.
roseshoser on
This Barney Fife wanna-be “sheriff” Wright looks like a real winner. He wants Rutherford County to go back to the 19th century.
FEMA can deploy elsewhere. The “immigrants” who often do the hard work while people like him drink their sweet tea can rebuild elsewhere. Get the lazy asses in their trailers off their butts and let them clean their own mess up.
Cross-CX on
Is there a link for proof of Fema workers being attacked? I cannot find anything.
maxwellgrounds on
Not a word about tracking down those trucks and identifying the terrorists … I guess that’s not a priority.
gribbler on
How long, if it’s possible, will it take to reprogram these people?
14 Comments
**Hurricane recovery officials in N.C. relocated amid report of ‘armed militia,’ email shows**
*Safety fears are growing as misinformation collides with a large-scale federal recovery effort*
Washington Post, October 13, 2024
https://archive.is/l9jhr
LAKE LURE, N.C. — Federal emergency response personnel on Saturday had employees operating in hard-hit Rutherford County, N.C., stop working and move to a different area because of concerns over “armed militia” threatening government workers in the region, according to an email sent to federal agencies helping with response in the state.
Around 1 p.m. Saturday, an official with the U.S. Forest Service, which is supporting recovery efforts after Hurricane Helene along with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, sent an urgent message to numerous federal agencies warning that “FEMA has advised all federal responders Rutherford County, NC, to stand down and evacuate the county immediately. The message stated that National Guard troops ‘had come across x2 trucks of armed militia saying there were out hunting FEMA.’”
“The IMTs [incident management teams] have been notified and are coordinating the evacuation of all assigned personnel in that county,” the email added.
Two federal officials confirmed the authenticity of the email, though it was unclear whether the quoted threat was seen as credible. The National Guard referred questions to FEMA when asked about the incident. One Forest Service official coordinating the Helene recovery said responders moved to a “safe area” and at least some work in that area — which included clearing trees off dozens of damaged and blocked roads to help search-and-rescue crews, as well as groups delivering supplies — was paused.
By Sunday afternoon, personnel were back in place, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The setback is one of the latest examples of growing concerns about safety and security in western North Carolina, where many towns were almost wiped off the map after the historic hurricane made landfall two weeks ago. In the weeks since, misinformation and rumors have made the recovery more difficult, targeting multiple federal agencies operating as part of the recovery.
Federal officials such as the secretary for the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA’s director of public affairs have been the target of antisemitic attacks.
Chimney Rock, in Rutherford County, has become one of the centers of tension and conflict after a rumor spread on social media that government officials planned to seize the decimated village and bulldoze bodies under the rubble. Authorities and news outlets debunked the assertion, but people still took to social media imploring militias to go after FEMA.
A person familiar with FEMA operations, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the agency was working out of an abundance of caution and its teams were operating at fixed locations and secure areas instead of the usual practice of going door to door.
“FEMA continues to support communities impacted by Helene and help survivors apply for assistance,” the person said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe sensitive discussions. “For the safety of our dedicated staff and the disaster survivors we are helping, FEMA has made some operational adjustments.”
The heightening tension has resulted in residents harassing federal employees, said Riva Duncan, a Forest Service official who lives in Asheville.
Duncan, who is also a representative with the Grassroots Wildland Firefighters, said people have been yelling at federal employees delivering aid or showing up to do repairs, saying, “We don’t want your help here.”
One Forest Service employee, she said, was pulling into a gas station when someone yelled at him to leave, saying “We don’t want the government here.”
“It’s terrible because a lot of these folks who need assistance are refusing it because they believe the stuff people are saying about FEMA and the government,” Duncan said. “And it’s sad because they are probably the ones who need the help the most.”
In a text message shared with The Washington Post, a woman said that her child, a Forest Service crew member from California, was one of those who temporarily left the county.
Earlier Saturday, a resident came to a supplies distribution center, now largely run by relief group the Cajun Navy with the help of a Baptist Church organization, and threatened FEMA personnel who were also stationed there in a trailer, according to two Cajun Navy volunteers. Lake Lure Police and Rutherford County Sheriff’s offices confirmed the incident.
Sgt. Herbie Martin with the Spindale Police Department, located about 25 miles outside Lake Lure, was circling the parking lot Sunday afternoon. He also confirmed the incident, saying “he hoped FEMA would come back.”
Fine. Don’t help people in red districts. Let them die. Help the blue cities where the aid workers won’t have to fear for their lives.
Oh no. Fewer dumbfuck red voters and more money for non-idiots. I’m so triggered right now.
I know we won’t fucking do this because Democrats are too goddamn obsessed with doing the right thing. But holy fuck few things would make me happier than dumb shit conservatives finally getting what they wanted and deserve.
The *serious* irony here is that these extremely hard-hit areas are Trump Country, and if they don’t get the sheer volume of recovery assistance that only the federal government can provide, they may not be in a position to cast ballots in the November election, which could cause NC to go for Harris instead of Trump.
They aren’t militias. Every militia was officially converted into the National Guard in the early 1900s. These are gangs at best and terrorists at worst.
You fucking assholes. People need that aid.
This is just disgusting. And a preview of what they are going to do when they lose at the polls.
It’s possible that many people have been misled by right wing influencer-driven conspiracy theories that the federal government is trying to seize the land around Chimney Rock…
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hurricane-helene-conspiracy-theories-lithium-mining-weather-control-fact-check/
*It* has happened already, hasn’t it?
As I have been saying for awhile now, today is the most sane day we will have for the foreseeable future.
Sunday – Fema workers are driven out by roaming bands of armed MAGA thugs.
Monday – MAGA will collectively scream about how Fema isn’t helping red districts.
This Barney Fife wanna-be “sheriff” Wright looks like a real winner. He wants Rutherford County to go back to the 19th century.
FEMA can deploy elsewhere. The “immigrants” who often do the hard work while people like him drink their sweet tea can rebuild elsewhere. Get the lazy asses in their trailers off their butts and let them clean their own mess up.
Is there a link for proof of Fema workers being attacked? I cannot find anything.
Not a word about tracking down those trucks and identifying the terrorists … I guess that’s not a priority.
How long, if it’s possible, will it take to reprogram these people?
MAGA out there committing war crimes now?