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For the last year, researchers and journalists have speculated about whether the mostly-online alt-right movement would ever coalesce with real world action. They excelled with memes and trolling, but was there more to it?

Its happening now, with the proliferation of street gangs inspired by the alt-right who are showing up at rallies across the country.

The New York Times recently described such groups as part of a growing movement that has injected a new element of violence into street demonstrations across the country.

One such group is the Fraternal Order of Alt-Knights, founded by Kyle Chapman, known online as Based Stickman. The name comes from a widely-circulated video in which Chapman hits a counter protestor with a stick. Based is slang for not caring about how you are perceived by others. The Proud Boys is another prominent group, spearheaded by Vice co-founder Gavin McInnes.

These alt-right inspired groups are part fight club, part Western-pride fraternity, the Times writes, which recruit battalions of mainly young white men for one-off confrontations with the left-wing anti-fascist protestors who have also become fixtures at protests in recent months.

Email Sam Kestenbaum at kestenbaum@forward.com and follow him on Twitter at @skestenbaum

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'Alt-Right' Gangs Like Proud Boys Ramp Up Activity The Forward - Forward