Armed Militia Threatens Hurricane Helene Relief Workers in North Carolina Hampering Efforts

Federal emergency response personnel in North Carolina were temporarily relocated due to reports of an "armed militia" threatening government workers involved in Hurricane Helene recovery efforts. Misinformation and rumors have been spreading throughout the affected areas, resulting in hostility towards federal agencies and a decline in the acceptance of aid offered by FEMA and the Forest Service. These incidents have also resulted in harassment and threats directed at federal employees. “Around 1 p.m. Saturday, an official with the U.S. Forest Service, which is supporting recovery efforts after Hurricane Helene along with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, sent an urgent message to numerous federal agencies warning that “FEMA has advised all federal responders Rutherford County, NC, to stand down and evacuate the county immediately. The message stated that National Guard troops 'had come across x2 trucks of armed militia saying there were out hunting FEMA.’” - Washington Post