Cole Allen, who stands accused in connection with a gun incident at the White House Correspondents Dinner, claimed affiliation with “The Wide Awakes,” a progressive collective inspired by Civil War-era abolitionists, committed to nonviolent principles.
This group identifies as a contemporary reinterpretation of the original organization that emerged during the 1860 presidential campaign, composed of anti-slavery advocates supporting President Abraham Lincoln.
Back in the day, members of the original Wide Awakes were known for their theatrical support of the Republican president, creating vibrant spectacles across New York and other northern cities in the tense period leading up to the Civil War.
The modern incarnation of The Wide Awakes, established in 2020 by a group of artists, shares no direct ties with the original but embraces similar methods to express their beliefs. Their approach involves creating vibrant costumes, worn proudly during marches and activist gatherings in urban settings.
Over time, the group has expanded, evolving into a loosely organized network of individuals who infuse political events with creativity and a playful spirit.
Their website proclaims, “We are infinite, disruptive, enlightened, visionary, accountable. We embrace the radical complexity of diversity and see creative liberation as a game that everyone can partake in, now and forever.”
“We can emancipate ourselves without violence,” the website adds. “We don’t need to be told what to believe or how to engage, we just need to be inspired to question what’s there. Broadening perspective yields a safer world.”
And it seems anybody can join — the group invites anyone to put on their own events or create art in their name.
“Call on local DJs, Musicians, Speakers, Organizers, and Artists to plan a joyous community gathering,” are some of the suggested ways to participate listed on the group’s website.
It’s unclear if the group has any centralized organization anymore.
Exactly how Allen was affiliated with the group also remains unclear. Officials only revealed that he considered himself to be a member.
The shooting suspect participated in the nationwide anti-Trump “No Kings” marches in March, though it’s unknown if he did so with any affiliation to The Wide Awakes.
Allen’s sister also told investigators that he frequently espoused radical political ideas and talked about wanting to do “something” to fix the world.
He was also an avid user of Blue Sky — a liberal iteration of X — where he’d made more than 1,000 posts, many of which railed on President Trump and Republicans.
Allen also allegedly sent a rambling anti-Trump manifesto to his family about 10 minutes before he tried to storm into the White House Correspondents’ Dinner with a gun in Washington DC on Saturday night.
He was tackled to the ground before he could get into the ballroom, where Trump and numerous top White House officials were eating. A flurry of gunfire in the halls outside led to a rapid evacuation of the event.
