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S1: The Mid-Terms 1. Groomers

A new diabolical enemy emerges as the mid-terms loom.

As America goes out to vote for the first time since the tumultuous aftermath of the 2020 election, Gabriel Gatehouse is back in the deep undergrowth of the US political scene, in a bid to understand where the dark energy underpinning the January 6 assault on the Capitol is going now.

Some of the energy from the QAnon conspiracy theory about a satanic cabal of paedophiles is morphing into a grassroots political movement against ‘groomers’ – the idea that LGBTQI+ sex educators and trans healthcare advocates are indoctrinating young people into a sexualised culture.

The battleground is America’s school boards and the prize could be a galvanised Republican base with a new crusade. At a conference in Miami of thinkers shaping the future ideas of the right, Gabriel finds the issue top of the agenda.

And across the country, a slate of candidates linked to QAnon is running for office – how will they fare?

Producer: Lucy Proctor

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42 minutes

Last on

Sun 6 Nov 2022 13:30

Broadcast

  • Sun 6 Nov 2022 13:30

The Coming Storm – Eight things we learned when Louis Theroux interviewed Gabriel Gatehouse

The Coming Storm – Eight things we learned when Louis Theroux interviewed Gabriel Gatehouse

QAnon, conspiracies and the Capitol riots.

Podcast