North Carolina Republicans create "secret police force"
popular.info
popular.info
> a political philosophy, movement, or regime (such as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition
Originally it also included a certain kind of capitalism, and of course any "people's republic of X" would not be capitalist but might well do this kind of thing.
It doesn't necessarily qualify in every aspect, but it's close enough to raise historical red flags. There are hints of those aspects, or equally unpleasant ones.
If it were to be successful it would undoubtedly earn its own name, and future historians would be drawing comparisons and contrasts. For the moment, the term is useful in calling attention to it so that those negative outcomes are avoided.