(I agree Walmart is evil... but I just don't shop there. I feel no need to commit arson.)
Five alleged members of an arsonist ring, furious over the perceived “evil caused by Walmart,” have been charged in relation to a number of fires set in Alabama and Mississippi stores last year. A grand jury indictment of the five men, first reported by extremism researcher Seamus Hughes on Thursday, linked them to a group calling itself the Veterans Order. All five have been charged with “conspiracy to maliciously destroy by fire,” according to Insider. The crew allegedly contextualized their spree with a six-page manifesto, entitled “Declaration of War and Demands for the People” and emailed to some local news stations. On the first page, the group declared it would fight “for the right of the American people.” The group demanded Walmart institute wage increases and healthcare for workers and a salary cap for its CEO, among other issues. They threatened further arson attacks if their demands were not met. “We are the Veterans Order,” the group also wrote to an unnamed foreign news outlet, according to the indictment, “and we will not stop until change is made!”
We recently had an arson case here in southeastern Pennsylvania. They caught and charged teenagers in this case, but I’m wondering if they were inspired by this group.