In the summer of 2020, the messaging across far-right American internet forums was jubilant. The one-two punch of the novel coronavirus pandemic, coupled with widespread protests and nationwide unrest triggered by the murder of another unarmed African American by police, had laid the country low.

Yet in this moment of collective despair, America’s racists, bigots, antisemites, white supremacists and antigovernment extremists revelled in the newfound opportunities that had emerged throughout that year. Now was the time, their hateful posts on Telegram channels and seditious summons on Facebook proclaimed, to act decisively and bring the United States to its knees.