On Wednesday, police in Orange County, California arrested Forrest Clark, aged 51, on suspicion of arson in regards to a fire that has burned more than 6,000 acres in Southern California. Clark allegedly sent an email last week warning “this place will burn.”
Reporter J.J. MacNab, who is currently a fellow George Washington University’s Program on Extremism, has written a lengthy Twitter thread reporting that Clark’s Facebook page shows that he is a long-time conspiracy theorist “who believes in just about every kooky conspiracy out there, including QAnon, Pizzagate, Jade Helm 15, flat earth theories, NESARA, Jesuit [conspiracies], shape-shifting lizard overlords. You name it, he believes it.” Tied to these conspiracy theories is Clark’s apparent adherence to “sovereign citizen” ideology, an anti-government worldview that has sometimes motivated political violence.
MacNab’s reporting is especially salient in light of ongoing debates about whether social media companies like Twitter should allow conspiracy theorists like Jones to post content.
Here are a few key tweets:
The So Cal Holy Fire is burning out of control in Orange County. 10,000+ acres have burned, and it's only 5% contained. The sheriff has arrested Forrest Clark, 51, on suspicion of arson. He threatened to burn everything down in a message to the sheriff a week earlier. pic.twitter.com/dWP4k1cIhe
— JJ MacNab (@jjmacnab) August 10, 2018
Based on his social media pages, Clark is a sovereign citizen who believes in just about every kooky conspiracy out there, including QAnon, Pizzagate, Jade Helm 15, flat earth theories, NESARA, Jesuit conservancies, shape-shifting lizard overlords. You name it, he believes it.
— JJ MacNab (@jjmacnab) August 10, 2018
I've read through eight years of Facebook posts, and he's been making sovereign arguments since at least mid-2010, when he was active in the Restore America Plan (RAP,) which later turned into the alt-gov group Republic of the united States of America (RuSA.) pic.twitter.com/3XsYeSYSXk
— JJ MacNab (@jjmacnab) August 10, 2018
Based on his timeline, Clark spent a lot of time on YouTube absorbing 9/11 truther theories, Sandy Hook was fake theories, and just about every major Alex Jones "false flag" story. pic.twitter.com/60grgeC5mP
— JJ MacNab (@jjmacnab) August 10, 2018
The So Cal HolyFire started next to Clark's cabin, but his was the only one of 14 cabins that wasn't destroyed. 20,000 people have been evacuated. countless animals maimed or killed. and as many as 17,000 homes are at risk. pic.twitter.com/L2Yf6izfUq
— JJ MacNab (@jjmacnab) August 10, 2018