BOSTON, Mass.– An Avon man is facing charges in connection with a threat to shoot attendees at the Boston Free Speech Rally in August 2017.
The FBI announced Eric Radulovic, 32, was arrested Friday on one count of “transmitting in interstate and foreign commerce a threat to injure the person of another.”
According to Radulovic’s indictment, he pretended to be a member of the so-called “alt right” movement, an offshoot of conservatism mixing racism, white nationalism and populism, and threatened to shoot white attendees.
Court documents in the case say on or about Aug. 13, 2017, the day after a woman was killed in a rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, a “politically incorrect” discussion board on the website 4chan.org promoted a Boston Free Speech Rally set for Aug. 19 on the Boston Common.
The FBI says The initial post invited “[l]ibertarians, conservatives, traditionalists, classical liberals, Trump supporters or anyone else who enjoys their right to free speech,” to attend, “network and befriend others who share your views, come for good food, and come to stand up against ANTIFA terrorism.” ANTIFA is short for “anti-fascists,” a movement of people who generally oppose the white supremacist and “Alt-Right” movements, sometimes by protesting events or engaging in property damage or violence.
The post also warned people not to bring illegal weapons, “behave in a manner that makes you look bad,” or instigate violence.
“Be prepared everyone. this can get bad,” the first posted response said, according to the FBI. Other responses allegedly included predictions of violence and people speaking out against possible violence.
The FBI says Radulovic was aware and upset about the death at the Charlottesville rally and joined the discussion on 4chan posing as a member of the “alt-right.” He’s accused of saying he would shoot white attendees at the event to obtain sympathy for the movement. Investigators say he was aware of the nature of his message and hoped it would be perceived as a threat.
“I’m going to bring a Remington 700 and start shooting Alt-right guys. We need sympathy after that landwhale got all the liberals teary eyed, so someone is going to have to make it look like the left is becoming more violent and radicalized. It’s a false flag for sure, but I’ll be aiming for the more tanned/dark haired muddied jeans in the crowd so real whites won’t have to worry,” he said, according to the FBI.
Radulovic’s could face up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 if convicted.
Radulovic is set to appear in federal court in Indiana Friday afternoon. He will appear in Boston on June 20.
