The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) have a new initiative called the Red Rabbits. If you’re picturing cute little bunnies hopping around, handing out water bottles at protests, the New York Post has some additional details you may find relevant. Specifically, the part about preparing for a “national uprising against federal agents and police brutality.”

Socialist ‘Red Rabbits’ are training for national uprising against cops https://t.co/Tc4UCq9pNL pic.twitter.com/qEJcn946uC

— NY Post Opinion (@NYPostOpinion) June 9, 2026

Community Defense Or Something Else?

According to the Post, the Red Rabbits focus on things like self-defense training, communications, protest marshaling, and security operations. The DSA describes these efforts as community defense. Fine.

What I cannot get past is the language.

The Red Rabbits Security Commission, a subgroup within the DSA focused on “community defense” efforts, is, according to its authorizing resolution, preparing for a “national uprising against federal agents and police brutality.”

In practice, that means training cadres in tactics like armed and unarmed self-defense, blocking intersections, and fighting “fascists” with umbrellas. – New York Post

When I hear community defense, I think neighborhood watch groups. I think volunteers directing traffic after a storm. I think people helping their neighbors.

But what I don’t think about is preparation for a national uprising against federal agents.

Building The Thing They Claim To Fear

For people obsessed with stopping fascism, they seem awfully comfortable building organizations that resemble the kind of political enforcement structures they claim to fear.

That’s the irony I can’t get past.

In New Jersey, DSA’s immigrant justice working group has become a go-to security resource for immigrant organizations and Palestine affinity groups.

In Philadelphia, the Red Rabbits started with abortion clinic “defense” efforts, then expanded to helping groups focused on everything from “immigrant justice” to “Palestinian solidarity.”

Philly DSA’s Red Rabbits team apparently functions as a “movement incubator” due to its many community relationships. Those include the Philly Palestine Coalition, where the Red Rabbits team led the “direct action contingent.”

That work has also drawn the DSA into closer alliance with even more radical groups. Tucson’s Red Rabbits, for example, work with the Party for Socialism and Liberation — a would-be revolutionary political party with close ties to the Communist Party of China. Portland DSA cited its work with the National Lawyers Guild — a left-wing legal group with historic ties to the Soviet Union — to provide know-your-rights trainings. – New York Post

What Exactly Are We Looking At?

For years, Americans have been told that political extremism is dangerous. We have been warned about radicalization, militant movements, and threats to democracy. Yet here we have a political organization building security committees, training activists, coordinating communications, supporting direct-action operations, and talking openly about preparation for an uprising against federal agents.

The DSA can call the Red Rabbits whatever it wants. Community defense. Security commission. Activist training. Fine.

The rest of us can read the description and draw our own conclusions.

Stormtroopers probably would have called themselves community defense too.

The full two-hour Red Rabbits Security Commission panel is available on YouTube for anyone interested. Whatever else can be said about the DSA, they are not hiding this. They literally posted an extended discussion about building security infrastructure, training activists, organizing marshals, and supporting protest operations online for the public to watch. The rabbit logo may be cute, but the conversation itself is considerably more serious.

Why Isn’t Anyone Asking Questions

The New York Post ultimately argues that the bigger story is not the Red Rabbits themselves, but the lack of attention being paid to them. While most Americans have never heard of the group, the Post contends that the DSA’s increasingly militant rhetoric and growing network of activist organizations deserve far more scrutiny than they are currently receiving.

The DSA has largely avoided scrutiny, despite its increasingly extreme rhetoric and practices. As the organization grows in influence and increasingly aligns itself with radical activists and hostile regimes abroad, elected officials and government institutions have continued to look the other way.

If Republicans, Democrats and state and federal authorities keep ignoring these red flags, they may eventually find themselves living under one. – New York Post

Every political movement believes its own security apparatus is different. Every movement believes its own activists are the good guys. Every movement believes its own escalation is justified. History is littered with organizations that started exactly that way.

The Red Rabbits are being presented as a community defense initiative. The New York Post article describes something that looks considerably more ambitious.

Readers can decide for themselves which description is more persuasive. I suspect most people know the difference between a neighborhood watch program and preparation for an uprising when they see it.

Not only do these Red Rabbits probably have rabies, but they also have a mission statement. That’s what concerns me.

Feature Image: AI-generated illustration.