A new investigation details how the Democratic Socialists of America’s Red Rabbits Security Commission is building a nationwide training network focused on protest support, self-defense, firearm safety and “community defense,” while raising concerns about whether some activities could test the legal limits of the organization’s tax-exempt status.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The Democratic Socialists of America is facing new scrutiny over an internal security initiative known as the Red Rabbits, a project described in a recent report as an emerging national network focused on protest support, self-defense training and “community defense.”
According to City Journal, the Red Rabbits Security Commission was authorized by the DSA to support local chapters involved in street demonstrations, direct action and related organizing. The report said the group’s authorizing resolution refers to preparations for a “national uprising against federal agents and police brutality.”
The project was launched at the DSA’s 2025 national convention. Organizers reportedly chose the name Red Rabbits as a reference to the novel Watership Down, after earlier names such as “National Vigilance Committee” were considered too politically direct and potentially suggestive of vigilantism.
A recent panel offered details about how the initiative is being developed across local chapters. Organizers from Minnesota, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Tucson, Austin and Portland discussed local training models, legal concerns and coordination with other activist groups.
The Red Rabbits say their nationally approved training framework focuses on five core areas: de-escalation, Stop the Bleed emergency first aid, firearm safety, unarmed self-defense and protest marshalling. In a presentation, organizers described those categories as the foundation of the security effort.
The commission has set a goal for at least five members in 40% of DSA chapters to complete the trainings.
City Journal reported that the initiative has caused internal debate within the DSA. One controversy involved an unsuccessful effort by members of the organization’s National Political Committee to remove a Maoist organizer whose past public comments included praise for revolutionary violence. The committee ultimately voted to keep him.
The recent panel was organized by Hazel Williams, a National Political Committee member and former co-chair of California DSA. A Red Star Caucus newsletter said the event was intended to provide “lessons learned, best practices, and practical guidance” for local chapters building security committees.
During the event, local chapters described activities that went beyond the five nationally approved training areas. Those included martial arts sparring, evacuation planning, wound-packing, radio communications, chemical-exposure practice involving pepper spray, and the use of umbrellas and signs to shield demonstrators and block opponents described by organizers as “fascists.”
Some local groups also discussed developing or expanding their own training structures. A Philadelphia member described a plan to build firearm-safety trainings. Oklahoma City’s Queer Fight Club was described as a local hub for self-defense and broader “community defense” training. Portland DSA has used bicycle formations to block intersections, a tactic known as “corking.”
Panelists also discussed how other activist organizations have come to rely on DSA security teams. A New Jersey DSA immigrant justice working group was described as a security resource for immigrant organizations and Palestine affinity groups.
In Philadelphia, the Red Rabbits effort reportedly began with abortion clinic “defense” work and then expanded into support for organizations focused on immigrant justice and Palestinian solidarity. Philly DSA’s Red Rabbits team was described as a “movement incubator” because of its connections with community groups. Those relationships included the Philly Palestine Coalition, where Red Rabbits members reportedly led a “direct action contingent.”
The report also said some Red Rabbits teams have developed connections with more radical organizations. Tucson Red Rabbits have worked with the Party for Socialism and Liberation, according to a panel discussion. Portland DSA cited its work with the National Lawyers Guild, a legal organization that InfluenceWatch says has historic ties to the Soviet Union through the International Association of Democratic Lawyers.
City Journal reported that the Red Rabbits project could raise questions about the DSA’s legal boundaries as a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization, as well as the tax-exempt status of the DSA Fund, its sister 501(c)(3).
Under IRS rules, a 501(c)(4) organization must operate primarily to further “the common good and general welfare of the people of the community.”
Some activities, such as de-escalation training, first aid and know-your-rights education, may fit more easily within that framework. The report argued that other tactics discussed by panelists, including intersection blockades, activist escape techniques and street-level confrontation training, could draw greater scrutiny.
Cliff Connolly, a National Political Committee member involved in the Red Rabbits commission, said the commission was working “very, very closely with [DSA] staff” to ensure standardized trainings were “cleared and good to go” and created with “no question marks or gray area” over what chapters may do.
A Tucson chapter representative also emphasized that trainings should “match the reality of what a 501(c)(4) can do.”
Oklahoma City’s Queer Fight Club described a structure meant to be “DSA-sponsored and community-supported” while not entirely operated by the DSA. The group said the arrangement was designed partly for “liability and tax purposes,” so problems would not “come back to the DSA.”
Panelists also discussed risks involving outside partners. A Portland DSA representative identified as “C” referenced the Sunrise Movement and its “No Sleep for ICE” campaign, saying, “Sunrise nationally has been doing a lot of more high-risk stuff for official orgs, like the No Sleep for ICE campaign.”
“Their partners in immigration organizations might not be as ready to engage in that work because of their immigration status,” C said.
The report also cited tactics such as training activists to escape physical holds and conducting “takedowns on intersections” as activities that could complicate claims that the project is primarily social welfare-oriented.
The DSA’s broader political agenda has also drawn attention from critics. A separate X post highlighted claims about DSA goals involving major changes to American political institutions, including the Senate, presidency, Supreme Court and Electoral College.
City Journal concluded that the Red Rabbits initiative reflects the DSA’s growing role in direct-action organizing and could invite closer review from government agencies, legal authorities and political opponents.
The DSA has not lost its tax-exempt status or being formally sanctioned over the Red Rabbits project. The current scrutiny centers on the nature of the training, its relationship to protest activity and whether some local practices could exceed the legal limits of the organization’s nonprofit status.
Original article
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