Europe’s continued anxieties towards the refugee crisis has allowed fringe groups to exploit tensions. Finland’s “Soldiers of Odin” is one such example. This ‘street patrol’ movement promises to protect native Finns from immigrants and Muslims. It considers itself “a patriotic organisation fighting for white Finland”. They claim that Islam causes insecurity and increased crime. At protests they have carried signs that read “Migrants not welcome”. You can trace the origins of the movement to a protest in the town of Kemi, near the northern city of Tornio, last October. Its founder Mika Rana, justified their patrols under the guise of security. Social media allowed the movement to connect online. And share their anxieties (and hatred) of different cultures. A Facebook post alleging that asylum seekers housed near a school in Kemi had spied on young girls brought them onto the streets. Rana’s own social media account reveals his white supremacist beliefs. His Facebook ‘likes’ include Holocaust denial, nostalgia for Nazism, and a ‘Stop Islam’ page. The Internet has always enabled far-right ideologues and groups to disseminate materials with ease. Social media serves to intensify the process. And it allows groups to mirror other far-right groups across Europe. Take for example, [...]
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