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The Helldivers community is coping with a spotlight it doesn’t want

Helldivers is a satire of fascism — now, it’s being dragged into real-world politics. “Yesterday was an interesting day for the Helldivers community.” That’s the very obvious understatement that announced the reopening of the Helldivers gaming subreddit in the small hours of Saturday morning. On Friday it was discovered that Tyler Robinson, arrested for the alleged killing of Charlie Kirk, had inscribed messages on the casings of several bullets found at the crime scene. One of those read “Hey fascist! Catch!” accompanied by an up arrow symbol, a right arrow, and three down arrows, a reference to the code to call down the 500KG Bomb stratagem in the cooperative shooter Helldivers 2. Unsurprisingly, within minutes the official subreddit and Discord servers were thrown into chaos. Moderators quickly locked the Helldivers subreddit, pointing to a high number of posts that violated its rule against “Real-World Political Discussions.” Similarly, references to Robinson, Kirk, or the 500KG Bomb stratagem were quickly deleted on the Discord server, and some users speculated the code had been flagged for autodeletion. (Arrowhead Game Studios, makers of the Helldivers series, hasn’t released a public statement about the incident and didn’t respond to a request for comment.) Users merely asking why the subreddit was locked were shut down — “We are not allowed to discuss, I would suggest looking elsewhere,” one user was told. In moderation gaps and conversations with The Verge, Helldivers fans mostly seemed confused and a little concerned about what might come along with all of this sudden attention. “I just don’t want to see a community I love get slandered to no fault of their own,” one Discord user, Inferionix, wrote. Helldivers is hardly the first piece of media tied to an act of violence; the Columbine High School shooting famously put an unwelcome spotlight on Doom as commentators searched for a meaning behind the attack. But Kirk’s slaying inspired widespread calls for retaliatory violence by Republicans, making the still-ongoing search for Robinson’s motive particularly high-stakes. Even discussing it is risky, as lawmakers and right-wing tycoon Elon Musk are surveilling social media to police social media users’ responses to Kirk’s death, demanding firings at employers including Microsoft. The subreddit mods said in their reopening post that nobody was banned during the initial flood of shooting-related comments, but anyone who discusses it in the future will be. One brief bastion where fans of the game could share their feelings was the Helldivers 2 subreddit, which doesn’t have the same strict ban on real life political discussions. A megathread there, at least for a while, was filled mostly was fans marveling at just how surreal the situation was. “Waking up and hearing a sitting governor of the United States say ‘Notices bulge OwO whats this?’ was a goddamn flashbang,”

via gthe verge: The Helldivers community is coping with a spotlight it doesn’t want

siehe auch: Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer scratched bullets with a Helldivers combo and a furry sex meme The suspected shooter left a hodgepodge of extremely online taunts. Tyler Robinson, apprehended last night in connection to the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, allegedly left engraved bullets at the crime scene that were covered in a furry meme, a reference from the video game Helldivers 2, and an extremely online taunt. In an FBI briefing this morning about his arrest, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox described the sequence of events that led to the capture of Robinson, 22, who was turned into the police by his father. They also clarified the nature of the notes engraved on the bullet casings found at the scene, which had been rumored to be slogans relating to antifascist and “transgender ideology.” As it turns out, the messages are a confusing mix of internet memes and pop culture. As described, the bullets read (exact capitalization not confirmed at this point): “Notices bulges OWO what’s this?” “Hey fascist! Catch!” Up arrow symbol, right arrow, three down arrow symbols “Oh bella ciao bella ciao bella ciao ciao ciao” “If you read this, you are gay lmao” The first bullet casing, which was fired, is a meme referring to furry online roleplay, according to Know Your Meme. It’s not hard to see where the “antifascist” conclusion came from on two of the other bullets: “Bella ciao” is an Italian song adopted by partisans and resistance fighters while Italy was governed by the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini. Cox said in response to a question during the conference that the “hey fascist” message “speaks for itself.” Three downward-slanting arrows are a symbol used by both historical and contemporary antifascists. But the full arrow sequence was quickly recognized as something else: a combo from Helldivers 2 for calling the Eagle 500kg Bomb stratagem. The world of Helldivers — which evokes Robert Heinlein’s book Starship Troopers and the subsequent movie — concerns fascism thematically; developer Arrowhead has characterized it as a satire where players fight for a fascist state. As for the use of “Bella ciao,” the song has no obvious connection but given its historical significance, unsurprisingly does appear in a Helldivers 2 mod, as well as in at least one other video game, a World War II-themed strategy game called Hearts of Iron IV.

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From Forums to Fatal Shot: Charlie Kirk Shooting Suspect’s Dive Into ‘Dark Internet’

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox says Tyler Robinson’s engagement with online culture may have played a role in his alleged decision to assassinate the late far right activist. Utah’s governor has suggested the man suspected in the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk may have been driven to kill by his engagement with online culture and video games. “There was a lot of gaming going on,” Gov. Spencer Cox told NBC’s Meet the Press Sunday. “Friends have confirmed that there was that deep dark internet, Reddit culture and other dark places of the internet where this person was going deep.” Authorities have arrested 22-year-old Tyler Robinson and are expected on Tuesday to charge him with this week’s murder of the far-right commentator during a campus event in Utah. Robinson’s detention has prompted fervent speculation as to his political leanings and potential motives for the killing, with right-wing voices framing him online as a violent adherent of “transgender ideology.” Cox confirmed Sunday that Robinson does appear to have been in a romantic relationship with his roommate, who is transgender. But authorities have said it’s unclear whether the relationship was a motive in the killing. (…) As for evidence of Robinson’s engagement with online culture, Cox added in his Sunday interview on Meet the Press “you saw that on the casings,” adding “I didn’t have any idea what those inscriptions meant, but they are certainly the meme-ification that is happening in our society today.” Investigators have confirmed the bullet casings recovered from the rooftop where the shot that claimed Kirk’s life was fired were inscribed with a number of references to internet subcultures and political ideologies.

via daily beast: From Forums to Fatal Shot: Charlie Kirk Shooting Suspect’s Dive Into ‘Dark Internet’

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Was Tyler Robinson a Groyper? Charlie Kirk shooting suspect being linked to alt-right movement

Tyler Robinson, 22, was arrested on Friday in connection with the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk. The Utah native emerged as a suspect after the Turning Point USA founder’s killing at the Utah Valley University event. Robinson had become more political in recent years, family members said, and he had recently allegedly criticized Kirk in a conversation. Robinson, who was arrested for aggravated murder and other charges, has no criminal history, as per state records Reuters accessed. However, internet buzz online is claiming that Robinson is a Groyper. To be sure, these claims are from unverified social media accounts and there is no official statement from authorities about Robinson’s political leanings or his motives. Before getting into why Robinson is being called a Groyper online, here’s what the term denotes. A Groyper is a member of a group of alt-right, white nationalist and Christian nationalist activists, who are led by Holocaust-denier Nick Fuentes. The group derives its name from a cartoon amphibian, which is a variant of the internet meme – Pepe the Frog. Groypers were part of the Jan 6 Capitol Hill attack and the protests leading up to it. The buzz about Robinson being a Groyper springs from a photograph of his, where the suspect is seen in a black Adidas tracksuit, crouching. Several handles on X have juxtaposed this image next to one of Pepe the Frog in the Adidas tracksuit, and called Robinson a Groyper. Grok has explained the link between the two as follows: The “black Adidas hoodie crouching meme” refers to variants of Pepe the Frog (often called “Groyper” in some online communities) depicted squatting in a black Adidas tracksuit, sometimes with a cigarette or beer, embodying a “Slav squat” or “Gopnik” stereotype from Eastern European youth culture. It originated on sites like 4chan and is used in alt-right or ironic memes. The photo in the thread echoes this pose. Another X user shared that the photo, and added “Tyler Robinson was probably a fan of Nick Fuentes and a member of the so-called “Groyper Army”, which had been waging the “Groyper Wars” against mainstream Republicans, including specifically Charlie Kirk and Turning Point USA.”

via msn: Was Tyler Robinson a Groyper? Charlie Kirk shooting suspect being linked to alt-right movement

siehe auch: What is a Groyper and was Tyler Robinson a part of alt-right movement? Charlie Kirk shooter’s ammunition marking may be linked to this video game. Details here. What is a Groyper and was Tyler Robinson a part of alt-right movement? This question has gained attention following the fatal shooting of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk at a Utah Valley University event. Robinson, 22, has been arrested, but speculation over his political beliefs has spread online. (…) The Groyper image is known as the “black Adidas hoodie crouching meme,” sometimes described as the “Slav squat.” This meme originated on 4chan and is used within alt-right and ironic internet circles. Some X users claimed Robinson’s photo showed his alignment with Nick Fuentes’s Groyper Army, a group that has clashed with mainstream conservatives, including Charlie Kirk and Turning Point USA. Other posts alleged Robinson had dressed as a Groyper meme for Halloween, fueling speculation that he identified with alt-right internet culture. (…) Law enforcement also reported unusual markings on ammunition recovered from Robinson’s rifle. The markings included arrows in specific directions: up, right, and three down. These arrows matched input commands used in the video game Helldivers 2. The sequence corresponds to the Eagle 500kg Bomb stratagem, one of the most destructive in the game. Helldivers 2 won two Bafta awards earlier this year and became widely popular. The game, set in a satirical universe inspired by Starship Troopers, allows players to fight alien creatures while advancing political slogans such as “Freedom,” “Peace,” and “Democracy.” This connection between Robinson’s ammunition and the video game has led investigators to examine possible cultural or symbolic influences, though no official conclusions have been announced; Botschaften auf Patronenhülsen des Kirk-Attentäters stammen aus Memes und Videospielen Die Gravuren, darunter “Hey, Faschist, Fang!” und das Partisanenlied “Bella Ciao” werden als Hinweis auf die politische Gesinnung gelesen – zeigen aber auch, dass der Verdächtige tief in Internetkultur verwurzelt ist. Im Fall des ermordeten rechtsextremen Aktivisten Charlie Kirk gibt es zu den am Tatort gefundenen Beweismitteln neue Erkenntnisse. Auf den Patronenhülsen des mutmaßlichen Täters, dem nun festgenommenen 22-jährige Tyler R. aus Utah, waren mehrere Botschaften eingraviert. Diese waren bisher politisch eingeordnet und als Hinweis auf eine “antifaschistische Gesinnung” des Täters verstanden worden. Dieser Befund scheint auch weiter eine mögliche Variante, wenn auch nicht von offiziellen Stellen bestätigt. Sehr auffällig ist aber vor allem die offenbar tiefe Verankerung des Täters in eine Internet-Subkultur, bei der sich auch schon andere Attentäter in jüngerer Zeit bedient hatten. (,,,) Eine der auf den Patronenhülsen gefundenen Botschaften lautet “Hey Fascist! Catch!”, gefolgt von einer Pfeilsequenz (↑→↓↓↓). Diese Kombination ist eine direkte Referenz auf den Abwurf einer “Eagle 500kg Bombe” aus dem populären Videospiel “Helldivers 2”. Das Spiel ist für seine satirische Darstellung eines faschistoiden Regimes bekannt, das unter dem Deckmantel der “gelenkten Demokratie” agiert. Als Spieler bekämpft man Aliens, um “Freiheit” in der Galaxie zu verbreiten. Die Pfeilsequenz wurde in anderen Memes, vor allem im Gaming-Kontext, genutzt, um anzukündigen, dass jetzt eine “große, gewaltsame Handlung” folgen wird, zitiert Wired den Chefredakteur der Meme-Plattform Know Your Meme. Auch die Helldivers-Community hat die Referenz erkannt, auf Reddit musste der Subreddit des Videospiels aufgrund der Masse an Postings zeitweise gesperrt werden. (…) Weitere Inschriften verweisen auf das antifaschistische italienische Partisanenlied “Bella Ciao”, das im Videospiel Far Cry 6 eine Rolle spielt. Das Game spielt auf einer Insel, die von einem Diktator regiert wird. Dass der Verdächtige das italienische Lied kannte, hatte zuvor für einige Verwunderung gesorgt – ist es doch in den USA sonst wenig geläufig, wie auch die Berichterstattung der US-Medien zu den Botschaften beweist. Dort war zunächst teils statt vom Lied vom italienischen Ausruf “Ciao, Bella!” die Rede oder, korrekt aber am Punkt vorbei, von einem “italienischen Volkslied”. Auch hier gilt, dass die Anleihe an das Spiel natürlich keineswegs ausschließt, dass der Verdächtige das Lied dennoch auch wegen seines unmittelbaren politischen Gehalts gewählt haben könnte. Auch ein Meme aus der “Furry”-Subkultur ist auf einer Patronenhülse eingraviert: “Notices bulges, OwO what’s this”. OwO soll ein Emoticon darstellen. Die Subkultur, in der sich Leute als Tiere verkleiden und ausgeben, ist für ihre Rollenspiele bekannt. Auf einer weiteren Patronenhülse ist “If you read this you are gay LMAO” eingraviert – keine Referenz, aber eine verbreitete Art von Beleidigung im Netz. Möglicher Versuch, Aufmerksamkeit zu erregen Fachleute warnen davor, den politischen Gehalt der Botschaften überzuinterpretieren. Die Auswahl der Referenzen deute eher auf eine Person hin, die tief in der ironie- und provokationslastigen („Edgelord“) Internetkultur verwurzelt ist. Der Akt, überhaupt Botschaften auf den Hülsen zu hinterlassen, und dann auch noch Internet-Memes, wird als Versuch gesehen, Aufmerksamkeit zu erregen und eine Analyse der rätselhaften Hinweise zu provozieren.

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Evergreen High School shooter embraced Columbine, antisemitism and white supremacy online

An account linked to Desmond Holly, 16, also posted a picture of a revolver and ammunition about an hour before the shooting Jesse Paul and Olivia Prentzel 8:39 AM MDT on Sep 12, 2025 Share Original Reporting The Trust Project Law Enforcement guard a vigil for the shooting at Evergreen High School, Thursday, September 11, 2025, at Buchanan Fields in Evergreen, Colorado. (Jeremy Sparig, Special to The Colorado Sun) The 16-year-old boy accused of shooting two classmates at Evergreen High School on Wednesday before fatally shooting himself embraced conspiratorial, antisemitic and white supremacist social media content, according to a review by The Colorado Sun. Desmond Holly also reposted TikToks about the 1999 Columbine High School shooting and posed wearing a T-shirt with the word “WRATH” on it, which is what shooter Eric Harris wore as he carried out the Columbine attack.  Desmond Holly (Courtesy Jefferson County Sherriff’s Office) But perhaps most ominous was a post on X that an account linked to Holly made about an hour before the Evergreen shooting happened: a photo of a small revolver being held over a table with a box of ammunition on it. It was posted without comment. A few days earlier, the account posted the same image, with the caption “little .38 special I got.” Authorities say Holly used a revolver in his attack Wednesday afternoon at Evergreen High School, critically wounding two classmates as he repeatedly fired and reloaded the handgun. He then fatally shot himself as law enforcement arrived at the school.  Jacki Kelley, a spokesperson for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, said Holly has been “radicalized through an extremist network” before the shooting. She didn’t provide details, saying investigators would reveal more in the future. “We want to at least give you that much about maybe mindset for him,” Kelley said Thursday. Kelley said law enforcement has been in close contact with Holly’s family as they investigate the shooting. The sheriff’s office posted on social media Friday that “the information flow at this point will be minimal, as we have shared all the releasable information we currently have.” The Denver Post was first to report on the teen’s social media activity. Holly’s TikTok account was listed as “banned” Friday morning. The profile picture for the account appears to be an enhanced image of the gunman who killed six people and injured 14 others in Isla Vista, California, in 2014. Holly was also active on a “violent gore site,” which features videos of people dying, according to the Anti-Defamation League.  The ADL said Holly joined the site in December 2024 in the month between the shootings at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, and at Antioch High School in Nashville, Tennessee. The organization said the shooters in both of those attacks also visited the website.  Holly commented on posts about past mass shootings, the league said, and his social media posts indicated he began to collect tactical gear. In a now-deleted TikTok video viewed by the group, Holly modeled a tactical helmet and gas mask.

via coloradosun: Evergreen High School shooter embraced Columbine, antisemitism and white supremacy online

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Ärger um Recklinghausens – AfD-Bürgermeisterkandidaten Hat Sascha Menkhaus eine Schülerin verunglimpft?

Auf Facebook soll Sascha Menkhaus eine Schülerin verunglimpft haben, die sich gegen Rechtsextremismus ausspricht. Ein Recherche-Team hat den Kommentar veröffentlicht. 2 Min Lesezeit Nur zwei Tage vor der Kommunalwahl gibt es Ärger um Recklinghausens Bürgermeisterkandidaten der AfD, Sascha Menkhaus. Die Recherche-Gruppe „DieInsider“, die nach eigenen Angaben in AfD-nahen Facebook-Gruppen und auf Online-Seiten der Partei unterwegs ist, hatte öffentlich gemacht, dass Menkhaus auf Facebook eine Schülerin beleidigt haben soll. In einem Beitrag der „taz“ vom 24. August ging es um die 15-jährige Jette Poensgen aus Lauchhammer im Osten Deutschlands. In dem Artikel der überregionalen Tageszeitung berichtet die Schülerin von ihrem nach eigener Aussage von Rechtsextremismus geprägten Schulalltag und davon, dass sie sich bewusst als Antifaschistin dagegenstelle. Ein privates Profil soll den Post der „taz“ mit einem Foto der Schülerin am selben Tag auf Facebook nicht-öffentlich geteilt haben – versehen mit dem Zitat: „Weil offen gegen Nazis zu sein hier schon fast als radikale Position gilt, falle ich auf, weil ich keine rechten Parolen durch den Schulflur rufe und meine Freundinnen nicht mit ‚Heil Hitler‘ begrüße.“ Ein dem Namen nach männlicher User kommentiert den Post mit dem Satz: „Ist das die Schulmatratze?“ „Nazis sind bei uns nicht richtig aufgehoben“ AfD-Kandidat Sascha Menkhaus im Porträt RECKLINGHAUSEN 03.09.2025 Sascha Menkhaus, auf Facebook „Sascha S. Menkhaus“, beantwortet diesen Kommentar über sein öffentliches Profil mit den Worten „Schulmatratzin bitte“.

via recklunghäuser zeitung: Ärger um Recklinghausens AfD-Bürgermeisterkandidaten Hat Sascha Menkhaus eine Schülerin verunglimpft?

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Urteil bestätigt – Queer­feindlicher Kommentar auf Facebook: Duisburger zu 9.000 Euro Geldstrafe verurteilt

Ein Facharbeiter in der Eisen- und Stahlindustrie hatte vermeintliche trans Menschen als “Missgeburten” bezeichnet und den Tod gewünscht. Jetzt erhielt er dafür eine Geldstrafe. Das Duisburger Landgericht hat am Mittwoch laut der “Westdeutschen Allgemeinen Zeitung” (Bezahlartikel) in zweiter Instanz einen 43-jährigen Hüttenwerker nach einem queer­feindlichen Facebook-Kommentar zu einer Geldstrafe in Höhe von 9.000 Euro (100 Tagessätze zu je 90 Euro) verurteilt. Der Mann hatte zugegeben, am 12. August 2023 ein Foto mit Dragqueens geteilt zu haben. Dazu hatte er geschrieben: “Wenn so eine Missgeburt nur in der Nähe meiner Kinder kommt, hat er sein Recht auf Atmen verloren”. Der Angeklagte, der übrigens keine Kinder hat, war bereits im März vom Amtsgericht Duisburg zu dem gleichen Strafmaß wegen Volks­verhetzung verurteilt worden.Gegen das Strafmaß hatte die Staatsanwaltschaft Einspruch erhoben und eine härtere Strafe gefordert – nämlich sechs Monate Haft auf Bewährung. Grund seien nicht einschlägige Vorstrafen des Angeklagten und seine menschenverachtende Gesinnung gewesen. Das Gericht verwarf die Forderung jedoch. Der Angeklagte hatte bereits in erster Instanz die Geldstrafe akzeptiert. Der Angeklagte hatte laut dem WAZ-Bericht wohl aus Transphobie gehandelt, aber – wie auch die Justiz – in erster Instanz nicht gemerkt, dass das Bild keine trans Menschen, sondern Dragqueens zeigte. “Das Bild zeigt keine Transsexuellen. Das sind Varietékünstler”, sagte der vorsitzende Richter am Landgericht.

via queer: Urteil bestätigt Queer­feindlicher Kommentar auf Facebook: Duisburger zu 9.000 Euro Geldstrafe verurteilt

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Oakland County man accused of being linked to violent online network, producing child porn – #764 #terror

Farmington Hills man faces multiple federal charges. An Oakland County man allegedly produced and possessed child pornography, as well as coerced children and told people to carve his name on their bodies. Justin Miller, 23, from Farmington Hills, faces multiple federal charges, including producing and possessing child pornography. Miller was charged in a federal criminal complaint, which detailed his participation in online groups as a Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) since March 2024. According to court documents, Miller used Telegram, Kik and Snapchat to exchange messages with children online. He reportedly requested “cutsigns” or “signs” from people. Federal agents said “cutsigns” are often the usernames of extorters carved into the flesh of the victim. He also reportedly asked for self-harm content from other users on Telegram. The criminal complaint claimed Miller went by usernames containing “swampy” or “sugasniffer.” Court documents claimed Miller said in the chats, “People cut my name in their skin,” and “Cut daddys name.” He reportedly threatened to dox people if they didn’t send in new photos, according to messages he sent on Telegram. (…) He also allegedly discussed in a 764-related group chat about watching animal gore content. “Lmao have u seen the guy who cut up the puppys,” he reportedly wrote. What is 764? According to the FBI, 764 and related groups are Nihilistic Violent Extremists who engage in criminal conduct within the United States and engage with other extremists. The 764 network’s goals include social unrest and the downfall of the current world order, including the United States government, said the FBI. Members of 764 work with one another towards a common purpose of destroying civilized society through “the corruption and exploitation of vulnerable populations, including minors.” In May 2024, Miller reportedly talked on Telegram about having a possible relationship with the user “Rabid.” Authorities said “Rabid” was the username of 764 member Richard Densmore, who was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting a child in November 2024.

via clickondetroit: Oakland County man accused of being linked to violent online network, producing child porn

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