Brace Robert Belden is an American centre-left podcaster and union activist who volunteered to serve with the People's Protection Units (YPG), a Kurdish militia, in the Syrian Civil War.

"[8] After graduating from high school, he worked as a florist at Brothers Papadopoulos flower shop in the San Francisco Bay Area.

He underwent training at the YPG's Academy, where he met other Western volunteers including Lucas Chapman and Tommy Mørck.

Many refugees fled the town and sought protection behind the YPG front line, with Belden describing "hundreds of civilians coming across for days in a row."

"[11] It was later announced that the Rolling Stone article was to become a film starring Jake Gyllenhaal and directed by Daniel Espinosa, something Belden was opposed to.

[15][16][17] In August 2020, it was revealed that the Department of Homeland Security investigated Belden and other "anarchist fighters" for "suspected or confirmed Antifa links."

In response, Belden stated "I am not now nor have I ever been a member of any antifa organization" and quipped that "The US government has been spying on and smearing communists for 100 years but they usually have the decency not to call a Red an anarchist!

[3] The account was permanently suspended shortly after Belden's return to the United States for accusations of violating Twitter's policies on "targeted abuse or harassment."

As a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, specifically the local Marxist caucus Red Star, he became part of an eight-person organizing committee to form an employee's union at his factory.

[22] In August 2019, Senator Bernie Sanders spoke with Belden and other union activists about workplace democracy and labor issues.