On November 14, the person accused of a 2022 hammer assault on former U.S. Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband pleaded not responsible, apologized in court docket for his actions, and defined that Gamergate first uncovered him to right-wing conspiracies.
On October 28, San Francisco police arrested David Depape, 43, after he broke into Pelosi’s residence on the lookout for her. As a substitute, nonetheless, he discovered her husband, Paul Pelosi. After asking the place his spouse was, Depape reportedly attacked Pelosi with a hammer. Pelosi was in a position to name 911, police ultimately arrived, and arrested the attacker, and Pelosi was taken to the hospital, as he suffered a number of hand accidents and a fractured cranium. In court docket on Tuesday, Depape claimed he needed to speak to Nancy Pelosi about corruption and Russian involvement within the 2016 election. He additionally testified that he deliberate to “break her kneecaps” if she lied.
As reported by the Related Press, Depape testified in court docket that he typically performed video video games for as much as six hours a day whereas listening to a number of political podcasts. In line with Depape, he first was drawn to right-wing conspiracies after listening to of Gamergate, an internet harassment marketing campaign and hate motion in opposition to ladies that began in 2014 and by no means actually ended.
Beforehand, it was reported that Depape’s now-deleted web site included a message from the accused attacker connecting him to Gamergate. That is now seemingly confirmed.
Gamergaters typically claimed they had been combating for “ethics in video games journalism” however that was by no means true. The motion by no means engaged in criticism of journalism, as an alternative it was only a method for a bunch of indignant, poisonous individuals to return collectively and weaponize their hatred by attacking ladies on-line. Many had been additionally upset that online game retailers had been spending extra time protecting variety, feminism, and politics.
Gamergate provided a glimpse of the longer term
It might be incorrect to say Gamergate invented right-wing extremism or lunacy. However in 2014, Gamergate did present us an early have a look at how these teams would use the web to unfold their message and harass individuals far and broad within the coming years.
With the rise of Donald Trump and his cult of right-wing conspiracists in 2017, we noticed these teams comply with the Gamergate playbook: utilizing on-line social media, YouTube, and different web platforms to unfold their lies, bigotry, and poisonous concepts shortly to hundreds of thousands of individuals around the globe.
And as these teams proceed to be pressured to cope with actuality—stuff like Trump misplaced the election and the covid-19 vaccine is secure—they’ve grow to be increasingly hostile and violent, resulting in assaults just like the one carried out final yr by Depape in opposition to Paul Pelosi.
On Tuesday in court docket, DePape pleaded not responsible to tried kidnapping of a federal official and assault on the speedy member of the family of a federal official with intent to retaliate in opposition to the official for efficiency of their duties.“I reacted as a result of my plan was principally ruined,” he stated when requested why he hit Pelosi. “He was by no means my goal and I’m sorry that he bought harm.”
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