The #FBI is coming for all of you weirdos throwing beanbags at each other in the woods while shouting FIREBALL! 🧙🏻‍♂️

Live action role play (LARP) has become a popular cultural phenomenon worldwide, involving participants portraying characters in an imaginary environment and interacting with each other in real time.

Violent extremism involves real, ideologically motivated violence to further political, social, or religious goals. Distinguishing between LARP and criminal or malicious activity is important for law enforcement and prosecutors, especially when suspects of targeted violence claim they were playacting.

There are distinct characteristics that can help differentiate between LARP and violent extremism, such as the presence of game rules and scripts, the objective of the activity, and the psychological intent of the participants.

Investigators encountering claims of LARP should gather evidence to determine the truth, including proof of real-world violence, contradictions to true LARPing behavior, and the absence of circumstantial evidence supporting LARP activity.

https://leb.fbi.gov/articles/featured-articles/larping-and-violent-extremism