Reddit previously quarantined “r/The_Donald” for violating this policy. In June, Media Matters reported on multiple “r/The_Donald” users violating this policy by issuing calls to violence against Oregon law enforcement. Soon after, Reddit quarantined the subreddit, meaning it would no longer appear on the main Reddit feed. In a message shared by a moderator for “r/The_Donald” that explained the decision to quarantine the subreddit, a Reddit administrator wrote that “we are troubled that violent content more often goes unreported, and worse, is upvoted.” [Media Matters, 6/24/19; The Verge, 6/26/19; Reddit, accessed 12/18/19]

Reddit has previously banned multiple subreddits in violation of this policy. Reddit “shut down several Nazi and white supremacist subreddits” in 2017 because of its policy regarding inciting violence, according to The Verge. In 2018, the site banned the largest subreddit dedicated to the QAnon conspiracy theory, citing “repeated violations of the terms” of its content policy, NBC News reported, noting that the forum was “host to a stream of violent threats.” And on June 20, the platform banned the subreddit “r/frenworld,” which “featured racist and anti-Semitic Pepe the Frog-style cartoons,” with a spokesperson saying it “violated rules against encouraging and glorifying violence,” according to The Daily Beast reporter Will Sommer. [The Verge, 10/25/17; NBC News, 9/12/18; Twitter, 6/20/19]

Users of “r/The_Donald” have posted in support of violently opposing proposed gun safety laws and their potential enforcement

Virginia’s governor has proposed gun safety bills and said there will be “consequences” for law enforcement officials who refuse to enforce the bills if they become law. Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has proposed a series of gun safety bills for the next legislative session. In response, multiple counties in the state have declared themselves “Second Amendment sanctuaries,” adopting largely symbolic resolutions that say they will not enforce what they deem to be unconstitutional gun laws. Rep. Donald McEachin (D-VA) suggested that Northam use the commonwealth’s National Guard to enforce the bills if they become law, and Northam has warned of “consequences” if localities refuse to enforce new gun laws, adding that he would “cross that bridge if and when we get to it.” The Twitter account for the Virginia National Guard has tweeted that it had “not received any requests from the Governor, or anyone on his staff, about serving in a law enforcement role related to any proposed legislation” and encouraged residents to “be patient while we allow our elected officials to work through the legislative process.” [CNN, 11/6/19; WSLS, 12/12/19; Newsweek, 12/13/19; Twitter, 12/13/19]

Users on “r/The_Donald” have posted calls to violence against state government officials. In response to the discussion about the Virginia National Guard and the proposed gun safety laws, multiple users on the subreddit “r/The_Donald” have issued calls for violence to prevent the potential enforcement of the proposed laws.