Climate Change, Covid, and Violent Extremism
The worldwide economic disruptions caused by global climate change and the Covid pandemic is creating an opportunity for violent extremism and totalitarian political movements.
The Covid-19 pandemic is a dangerous breeding ground for violent extremist and anti-democratic movements around the world. At the same time, the economic disruption of climate change is making it easier for violent extremist to radicalize and recruit new members. Can democracies around the world unite to combat global climate change, Covid, and violent extremism?
A man is arrested during a demonstration against the Cuban government in Havana on July 11. (Yamil Lage/AFP/Getty Images)
By The Washington Post Editorial Board
Tallies by human rights groups show that in Belarus, after a year of protests against a stolen election, there are 631 political prisoners. In Cuba, following protests on July 11, some 830 people have been questioned or detained or have disappeared. In resistance to the military coup in Myanmar, 968 have been killed and 5,571 are in detention. Against those who protested in support of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny earlier this year, about 90 criminal cases have been opened. China is convicting pro-democracy leaders in Hong Kong. This trail of repression — the rise of an illiberal order — is growing more intense every day. Democracy is in crisis.
Video: U.S. warns of violent COVID-19-related attacks, Reuters | 8/14/2021
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said violent extremists could view the reimposition of COVID-19-related restrictions following the spread of coronavirus variants as a rationale to conduct attacks.