The shooter who killed eight people at a Dallas-area mall was wearing a patch that read 'RWDS' -- short for 'Right Wing Death Squad' -- a phrase that has been embraced in recent years by far-right extremists who glorify violence against their political enemies.
Veronica Rodriguez, left, of Dallas, becomes emotional as she gathers in a circle with others in prayer by a makeshift memorial by the mall where several people were killed in Saturday's mass shooting, Monday, May 8, 2023, in Allen, Texas.
Here is a look at the term "Right Wing Death Squad" and how it became a popular symbol among violent extremists:The "RWDS" acronym is one of countless shorthand terms used by extremists. Others include "RaHoWa," short for "racial holy war," and " 1488," an alphabet-driven code combining references to a white nationalist slogan and Adolf Hitler.
Heidi Beirich, co-founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, said the Proud Boys, the neo-fascist group of self-described "Western chauvinists," are largely responsible for injecting "RWDS" into the far-right vernacular. "Right Wing Death Squad" was the name of the smaller groups that participated in the white nationalist "Unite the Right Rally" in Charlottesville, Virginia, in August 2017, according to the Anti-Defamation League. The rally turned deadly when a white supremacist rammed his car into a crowd of counterprotesters, killing a woman.
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