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A recently introduced bill, called Preventing Private Paramilitary Activity Act of 2024, regulates<\/a> private paramilitary actions.<\/p>\n The bill<\/a> prohibits an individual armed with a firearm from participating in five areas:<\/p>\n Some have raised concerns that the broad definitions of the activities would criminalize church security teams, gun training endeavors and firearm ranges, and other private actions.<\/p>\n \u201cPrivate military organizations pose a threat not only to national security, but they also present a public safety problem that extends beyond any single state; for example, private paramilitary actors like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers traveled across state lines on January 6th,\u201d reads a press release<\/a> for the bill.<\/p>\n Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD), the bill\u2019s sponsor for the House, noted that the bill may even criminalize private entities \u201cpatrolling neighborhoods.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPatrolling neighborhoods, impeding law enforcement and storming the U.S. Capitol, private paramilitary groups like the Oath Keepers, the Three Percenters and the Proud Boys are using political violence to intimidate our people and threaten democratic government and the rule of law,\u201d he said. \u201cOur legislation makes the obvious but essential clarification that these domestic extremists\u2019 paramilitary operations are in no way protected by our Constitution. I\u2019m grateful to Senator Markey for his partnership on this critical effort to protect the rule of law, deter insurrection and defend our democracy.\u201d<\/p>\n Senator Edward Markey (D-MA), the bill\u2019s sponsor in the Senate, also said private paramilitary actors \u201cpose a serious threat to democracy and the rule of law.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPrivate paramilitary actors, such as the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, pose a serious threat to democracy and the rule of law, and we must create new prohibitions on their unauthorized activities that interfere with the exercise of people\u2019s constitutional rights,\u201d Markey stated. \u201cThe forces of bigotry, hatred, and violent extremism must be stopped for the sake of our democracy.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n