Plaid Army
{{Short description|Canadian far-right group}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{use mdy dates|date=December 2022}}
The Plaid Army is a group of Canadian internet live streamers known for their far right politics. The group has been accused by the Canadian Anti-Hate Network of Islamophobia and anti-semitism.{{Cite web |last=Boutilier |first=Alex |date=21 Oct 2022 |title=Ontario police considered 'covert' surveillance of anti-government group ahead of Freedom Convoy - National {{!}} Globalnews.ca |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/9217463/opp-covert-surveillance-anti-government-group/ |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=Global News |language=en-US |archive-date=November 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221120003526/https://globalnews.ca/news/9217463/opp-covert-surveillance-anti-government-group/ |url-status=live }}
Activities and views
The Plaid Army is a group of far right internet trolls.{{Cite web |last=Ling |first=Justin |date=2022-03-19 |title=Was it really about vaccine mandates — or something darker? The inside story of the convoy protests |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2022/03/19/was-it-really-about-vaccine-mandates-or-something-darker-the-inside-story-of-the-convoy-protests.html |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=thestar.com |language=en |archive-date=March 19, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220319162927/https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2022/03/19/was-it-really-about-vaccine-mandates-or-something-darker-the-inside-story-of-the-convoy-protests.html |url-status=live }} The Canadian Anti-Hate Network describe the group as racist and antisemitic.{{Cite web |last=Somos |first=Christy |date=2022-02-17 |title=What is the Diagolon extremist group and what does it want? |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/what-is-the-diagolon-extremist-group-and-what-does-it-want-1.5785646 |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=CTVNews |language=en |archive-date=November 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221114211944/https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/what-is-the-diagolon-extremist-group-and-what-does-it-want-1.5785646 |url-status=live }}
Membership and associations
The Ontario Provincial Police reported connections between the Plaid Army and the "Patriot Movement" who are known for their "opposition of provincial and federal government responses to the COVID-19 public health crisis.” The group is also associated with the far-right protest group Diagalon.{{Cite web |last=LeFeche |first=Grant |date=2022-01-28 |title='Freedom Convoy' leader shared symbol of far-right hate group on TikTok |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2022/01/28/freedom-convoy-leader-shared-symbol-of-far-right-hate-group-on-tiktok.html |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=thestar.com |language=en |archive-date=November 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221120003522/https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2022/01/28/freedom-convoy-leader-shared-symbol-of-far-right-hate-group-on-tiktok.html |url-status=live }} People connected to both groups were present at the Canada convoy protests.{{Cite web |last=Gilmore |first=Rachel |date=15 Nov 2022 |title=RCMP warned of 'potential for violence' from extremists amid convoy: memo - National {{!}} Globalnews.ca |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/9278575/emergencies-act-inquiry-brenda-lucki-testifies/ |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=Global News |language=en-US |archive-date=November 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221120003526/https://globalnews.ca/news/9278575/emergencies-act-inquiry-brenda-lucki-testifies/ |url-status=live }}
Members include right-wing video bloggers Jeremy MacKenzie and Derek Harrison.{{Cite web |date=2022-01-26 |title=Plaid Army vlogger Derek Harrison wants truckers convoy to turn into Canada's own January 6th event |url=https://www.straight.com/news/plaid-army-vlogger-derek-harrison-wants-truckers-convoy-to-turn-into-canadas-own-january-6th |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=The Georgia Straight |language=en |archive-date=November 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221120003532/https://www.straight.com/news/plaid-army-vlogger-derek-harrison-wants-truckers-convoy-to-turn-into-canadas-own-january-6th |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Charlie |date=2022-02-07 |title=Plaid Army vlogger Jeremy MacKenzie claims that the Mounties are planning mass arrests of Ottawa protesters |url=https://www.straight.com/covid-19-pandemic/news/plaid-army-vlogger-jeremy-mackenzie-claims-that-mounties-are-planning-mass-arrests-of-ottawa |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=The Georgia Straight |language=en |archive-date=November 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221108203556/https://www.straight.com/covid-19-pandemic/news/plaid-army-vlogger-jeremy-mackenzie-claims-that-mounties-are-planning-mass-arrests-of-ottawa |url-status=live }} Harrison wanted the convoy protests to be akin to the January 6 United States Capitol attack. MacKenzie oversees the group.{{Cite web |last=Kaufmann |first=Bill |date=17 Feb 2022 |title='This is a war': Arrested Coutts protesters say they were being provoked by RCMP |url=https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/this-is-a-war-arrested-coutts-protesters-say-they-were-being-provoked-by-rcmp |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=calgaryherald |language=en-CA |archive-date=March 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220306012657/https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/this-is-a-war-arrested-coutts-protesters-say-they-were-being-provoked-by-rcmp |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Taylor |first=Scott |date=28 Feb 2022 |title=Rolling protest that occupied Ottawa was hijacked from the start |url=https://www.hilltimes.com/story/2022/02/28/rolling-protest-that-occupied-ottawa-was-hijacked-from-the-start/270292/ |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=The Hill Times |language=en-CA |archive-date=November 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221120003526/https://www.hilltimes.com/story/2022/02/28/rolling-protest-that-occupied-ottawa-was-hijacked-from-the-start/270292/ |url-status=live }}