Patriot Front and other white nationalist groups are fueling the expansion of extremist groups in the U.S., and control at least a dozen clubs nationwide.

Combat sport clubs have been used to boost recruitment for a white nationalist hate group, according to a report released by the legal advocacy organization Southern Poverty Law Center.

The report tracks the efforts of the Patriot Front — one of the most visible groups in the white nationalist movement, formed following the deadly ‘Unite the Right’ rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017 — and their focus on recruiting new members through Active Clubs.

These clubs are smaller, looser networks of white supremacist groups, where members train in mixed martial arts. Through sport, they bond over white nationalist ideologies, SPLC said. The clubs also maintain a robust online presence to encourage young men to become radicalized. Patriot Front is using these groups to expand their reach while maintaining a low profile, the report said, to evade researchers and law enforcement.

    • GraniteM@lemmy.world
      2·
      4 hours ago

      I just went to a Nerf blaster tournament, and it seemed very queer-friendly, which is interesting and frankly encouraging considering how gun-adjacent the whole hobby is.

    • Cosmonauticus@lemmy.world
      28·
      18 hours ago

      They did. They were called the black panthers. They armed themselves and taught each other self defense. The white public thought the idea of brown ppl protecting themselves against facists like Ronald Regan was a bad thing so they were disarmed in California and were infiltrated by the FBI.

    • TheTimeKnife@lemmy.world
      19·
      21 hours ago

      Ive long believed we should have some more bro themed outreach programs. We’ve let spoiled rich clowns sell themselves as tough to young, impressionable boys. We have plenty of leftists who love more traditional masculine hobbies and vocations. Some outreach clubs to help young men realize you can be tough without being virulently angry all the time is a good thing in my opinion.

      • dylanmorgan@slrpnk.net
        3·
        20 hours ago

        Name options:

        Leftist Active Club

        Trotsky Boxing

        Nestor Makhno Fight and Read Club

        The Association to Make John Brown Proud