SHARING MEMES – MAN ENDS UP RED FLAGGED

August 23, 2019 in News by RBN

How many of us have a “dark” sense of humor? One Connecticut man, Brandon Wagshol, was “red flagged” after he shared a boogaloo meme and talked about buying gun parts online from out of state. Someone viewed it as threatening.

Wagshol’s sharing of memes and talk of purchasing gun parts – without making any threats, by the way- got the attention of someone who reported him to police. He is now under arrest on a $250,000 bond that can only be posted AFTER his hearing on September 6.

“What I understand is that he didn’t make any comments on Facebook, but there may have been other memes, as they call them, that he might have reposted.” Attorney Darnell Crosland

The article said his posts were “alarming.” He shared a “boogaloo” meme. Those of you who know what those are understand that they are extremely dark in their “humor.” He denies any desire to commit a mass shooting.

“Boogaloo” – a slang term for shit-hits-the-fan, or government gone bad and they’re coming for you, time to fight back. Boogaloo toys refers to guns. The opposite of “bugging out.”

“Alphabet bois” – ATF, FBI, DEA, etc.

“Coat hanger sears” – hand-crafted drop-in auto sears for an AR.

According to News12 Connecticut,

FBI investigators say the Norwalk Police Department received a tip about Wagshol’s activity from a concerned citizen. The joint investigation began after the FBI received a tip that Wagshol was trying to buy high capacity magazines from out of state.

Police say all the weapons recovered from the home are legally owned and registered to Wagshol’s father, but that the 22-year-old had access to them. Investigators also recovered body armor with a titanium plate, camouflage shirt, pant and belt, ballistic helmet, tactical gloves, camouflage bag and computers.

News12

Wagshol has been banned from the campus of the college he was attending. The media is calling this a ‘mass murder plot foiled.’ But was it really? A Boogaloo meme is not about mass murder, it’s about defending yourself from the government.

“Red Flagged” over sharing memes

While Wagshol obviously made mistakes and really did not ‘do everything correct,’ there is a worry about those “tips from concerned citizens” and the sharing of “memes.” Especially regarding US Military veterans, who often own items exactly like the ones police confiscated from Wagshol. And they love to share memes on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Instagram has blacklisted any reference to the word “boogaloo.” Big Tech appears to feel that such memes are dangerous and need to be banned.

Featured photo of Brandon Wagshol from Norwalk Police