After violence in Virginia, far right targets California
LOS ANGELES _ When far-right activist Kyle Chapman took to Facebook last week urging followers to attend upcoming rallies in the Bay Area, he was downright gleeful about taking the fight to the celebrated liberal bastion.
"Talk about kicking the hornets nest! This is sure to be barn burner," wrote Chapman, who became a hero to the extreme-right and earned the nickname "Based Stickman" when he battled counterprotesters with a shield and staff this year. "Let's show these intolerant Communist we will not be silenced or intimidated!"
Left-leaning, multicultural California might not seem like an ideal place for the extreme-right and white-nationalist groups to make a stand. But the movement has increasingly targeted the state in recent years, with optics as much as membership in mind.
Seeking media attention and validation
