New York Light Foot Militia

The New York Light Foot Militia (NYLFM), founded by George Curbelo in 2015 as part of the militia movement, is a privately organized Constitutional Militia in the State of New York composed of United States citizens, barring no prejudice to sex, age, political or religious affiliation, who train together in several areas of civilian preparedness such as but not limited to: Land navigation, Basic HAM Radio use, Bug-out bag preparedness and use, Gun safety, Community emergency response team, Incident Command System, First aid, Paramilitary training, Survival skills and basic Survivalism[1][2][3][4][5]

This article is about the privately-organized militia group in New York. For the state defense force of New York, see New York Guard.
New York Light Foot Militia
LeaderGeorge Curbelo
Dates of operation2015-Present
Active regions New York. United States
IdeologyAmerican nationalism
Libertarianism
Sovereign citizen movement
Survivalism

Activities

In 2017, The group's Leader, George Curbelo who lives in Delaware County, New York and says that the group has around 250 members who train monthly at firearms, reconnaissance, and navigation. Curbeo says the group does not "support white supremacy" and says that the group includes non-whites and non-Christians.[4]

In June 2017, members of the group were present at an ACT! for America-sponsored "March against Sharia" protest in front of the downtown Federal Building in Syracuse, New York. The event was met by a larger group of counter-protesters. The Light Foot Militia group stated "they did not support either side, but were there to make sure all sides were able to excise their First Amendment rights."[6]

In August 2017, members of the NYLFM, along with militiamen from several other states, were present during the "Unite the Right rally," a far-right gathering in Charlottesville, Virginia. The group carried rifles at the event. Although the groups were initially invited by the white nationalist organizers of rally, the militia groups said that they had come "in a neutral stance."[4] The NYLFM's "commanding officer," George Curbelo, criticized the Charlottesville Police Department for failing to separate opposing sides during the rally.[4] Mother Jones magazine reported that "a group of assault-rifle-toting militia members from New York State, wearing body armor and desert camo, played a more active role in breaking up fights" than police did.[7][8]

In October 2017, the New York Light Foot Militia was named as one of several defendants in a lawsuit filed by the Georgetown University Law Center's Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection on behalf of the City of Charlottesville and several Charlottesville businesses and neighborhood associations. The suit alleges "that the presence of private armies significantly heightens the possibility of violence; that the rally organizers solicited private militias to attend the rally, held group-wide planning calls and circulated an instructional document called General Orders."[9] The militia groups said they did not condone violence and instead intended to uphold the right to assemble, but that Charlottesville was "so overwhelming that the only thing we could do was pick people up off the floor" and act as "a neutral peacekeeping force".[9][10] The NYLFM condemned the white supremacist presence at Charlottesville,[10][11] and committed in a consent decree not to return.[12][13]

In September 2017, about two dozen members of the NYLFM, along with about 200 other militia movement members were present at the Mother of All Rallies, held in support of President Donald Trump on the National Mall. The group did not carry guns at this event because they are not permitted on the National Mall. During the event the group broke up "verbal skirmishes" between attendees and counter-demonstrators, and formed a "protective perimeter around police officers."[14][15][16][17]

In May 2018, NYLFM took part in a national meeting of the Patriot movement umbrella organisation National Constitutional Citizens of Patriotic Americans (NCCPA).[18] Members were due to participate in a Virginia Civilians Defense League gun rights Lobby Day in Richmond, Virginia in January 2020.[19][20]

References
  1. fisher, ford (21 August 2017). "NBC Features News2Share Footage in Reporting on Militias in Charlottesville".
  2. Stankiewicz, Jeffrey (19 April 2020). "Militia Standards and Principles of the Light Foot".
  3. Wallace, Sarah (23 Feb 2017), I-Team Gets Rare Access to Compounds of Private Militia
  4. Walters, Joanna (15 August 2017). "Militia leaders who descended on Charlottesville condemn 'rightwing lunatics'". The Guardian.
  5. Wallace, Sarah (22 September 2017), I-Team: New York Militia Gives Inside Look at its Operation During D.C. Demonstrations
  6. Hannagan, Charley (10 June 2017). "Dueling protests in Syracuse: ACT for America and counter protest group face off". Syracuse.com.
  7. Thompson, A.C.; Faturechi, Robert; Hajj, Karim (13 August 2017). "Police Stood By As Mayhem Mounted in Charlottesville". Mother Jones. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  8. "Militia leaders who descended on Charlottesville condemn 'rightwing lunatics'". The Guardian. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
  9. Erin O'Hare, Militia men: American patriot groups say they don't condone violence, C-Ville (October 25, 2017).
  10. Wallace, Sarah (2017-08-21). "I-Team: New York Militia Group Speaks Out on Charlottesville Response, Hate and Bloodshed". NBC New York. Retrieved 2020-09-03.
  11. Walters, Joanna (2017-08-15). "Militia leaders who descended on Charlottesville condemn 'rightwing lunatics'". the Guardian. Retrieved 2020-09-03.
  12. "Facing lawsuit, more militia groups agree to avoid Charlottesville". whsv.com. Associated Press. 2018-05-16. Retrieved 2020-09-03.
  13. Carter, Dennis (2018-05-16). "Three Militias Barred From Ever Returning to Charlottesville (Updated)". Rewire.News. Retrieved 2020-09-03.
  14. Wallace, Sarah (21 September 2017). "I-Team: New York Militia Gives Inside Look at its Operation During D.C. Demonstrations". NBC. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  15. https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/I-Team-Inside-the-New-Militia_New-York-446600893.html
  16. blob:https://www.nbcnewyork.com/88e00674-80c2-4842-9249-0f603e6f0052
  17. "Three Militias Barred From Ever Returning to Charlottesville". 100 days in Appalachia. Retrieved 2020-02-02.
  18. "Poorly attended NCCPA national convention attracts "Patriot" extremists and supporters of hate". Southern Poverty Law Center. 2018-05-22. Retrieved 2020-09-03.
  19. "Militia Groups and Other Extremists Plan Gun Protest in Richmond". Anti-Defamation League. 2020-01-17. Retrieved 2020-09-03.
  20. [charlottesville-banned-these-far-right-activists-but-theyre-bringing-their-guns-to-richmond Charlottesville Banned These Far-Right Activists, but They’re Bringing Their Guns to Richmond], Daily Beast January 2020
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