ExtremismEuropean far-right groups eschew violence to broaden appeal

More than seventy years after the defeat of Nazi Germany, ethno-nationalist and white supremacist movements in Europe continue to thrive. They include far-right political parties, neo-Nazi movements, and apolitical protest groups. In its new report, European Ethno-Nationalists and White Supremacy Groups, the Counter Extremism Project (CEP) found that some groups openly espouse violent white supremacy, while others have propagated their radical stances under the guise of populism.

CEP Executive Director David Ibsen was quoted in the British newspaper Independent:

“Portraying themselves in this way is definitely a tactic to increase the reach of their message and, as such, increase the potential of radicalization.” He said anti-Islam figures and white nationalists were using online channels to ‘build communities’ around specific issues, in a way that has previously been seen with jihadis who capitalize on topics like the Iraq War and airstrikes. “The real worrying issue is that, with the power of social media, these claims create an ecosystem where people looking for legitimate mainstream movements access extremist culture,” Mr. Ibsen added. ‘What we cannot ignore is how these groups will affect pluralism, peace and tolerance.’”

Ibsen also spoke with EU Scream about the tactics being used by far-right groups in France and other European countries, including their “highly polished” social media operations, to obscure their true extremist nature and attract new followers. He highlighted the necessary approach taken by European lawmakers in response to the proliferation of harmful extremist content and hate speech on social media platforms and what it portends for possible regulation of the tech industry in the United States.

CEP notes that the key findings of the report are:

·  European far-right ethno-nationalist groups have cast immigrants as a scapegoat for economic hardship faced by young Europeans. Rather than promote overt white supremacy, these groups denigrate minorities—particularly Muslim immigrants—as detrimental to European culture.

•  Far-right political parties like Germany’s Alternative für Deutschland and Italy’s Lega Nord have been able to generate substantial popular support by promising to defend their respective countries against the cultural attacks of immigrants and foreign influences, and have consequently made gains in domestic parliamentary elections.

•  Groups like Les Identitaires and its youth wing, Generation Identity, have renounced violence in favor of utilizing social media and public demonstrations to portray themselves as legitimate, mainstream movements protecting European culture. These groups have directly targeted Europe’s youth through social media and public demonstrations.

•  Groups including Combat 18 and the Nordic Resistance Movement, which openly embrace neo-Nazi ideology and violent tactics, are still able to recruit for violent activities, despite the rise of non-violent, populist groups

— Read more in European Ethno-Nationalists and White Supremacy Groups (Counter-extremism Project, December 20180