Threats to relief workers impede hurricane recovery

Hurricane recovery efforts in North Carolina have been disrupted by threats against aid workers, fuelled by misinformation. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) has made operational adjustments to ensure the safety of its staff. Police in Rutherford County arrested a man who allegedly spoke publicly about harming relief workers and was found with a rifle and a handgun. Meanwhile, a sheriff in Ashe County reported that Fema workers briefly paused their work to assess threats they were facing.

Federal workers helping North Carolina recover from Hurricane Helene have had to confront rising distrust from local residents. False conspiracy theories, many of which are politically motivated, about land confiscation, cursory aid payments, and deliberate weather manipulation have rapidly spread. Reports indicate that several extremist groups are active in the area, attempting to capitalize on the disaster and rumors.

Sheriffs in Rutherford County responded to reports of "credible threats" against relief workers and arrested a suspect, William Jacob Parsons, during a traffic stop on Saturday. Authorities seized guns, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia, and Parsons was charged with "going armed to the terror of the people," a crime punishable by a maximum of 120 days in jail.

The North Carolina National Guard is looking into a report that its troops encountered armed militia groups in the county. Fema officials working in the region around Ashe County also faced threats, and the village of Chimney Rock in Rutherford County has become the focus of some of the most viral conspiracy theories about land seizures and weather manipulation, also called geoengineering.

Fema did not comment on specific reports of threats but stressed that disaster recovery centers would remain open and the agency "will continue to help the people of North Carolina with their recovery."