Websites suggest conspiracies fed accused Montreal gunman's 'buffet extremism'
halifax.citynews.ca
Accused Montreal shooter Seth Hatfield's online trail mixed weapons videos with a "buffet" of unrelated conspiracies — raising the question of whether radicalization needs a single ideology at all.
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Theory Briefing
- Hatfield's browsing spanned weapons, outdoors content, and unconnected conspiracy theories — what experts are calling 'buffet extremism' rather than a single ideological path.
- Two officers were shot outside a Montreal hotel, yet experts warn against drawing firm conclusions linking the online content directly to the attack.
- Researchers are urging the public to stop sharing images of the shooting, citing concern that viral spread can amplify the perpetrator's notoriety.
- The case challenges the common assumption that mass violence requires a coherent, unified extremist belief system to take root.