Activist Clubs Challenge NMR: A Shift in Sweden's Far-Right Landscape

The far-right so-called activist clubs are stealing the spotlight from the Nazi Nordic Resistance Movement (NMR). The previously struggling Nordic Resistance Movement is increasingly seen as an "old men's club."

– The new concept attracts younger people and fits well with ongoing trends of self-improvement, training, and masculinity norms, says Lars Stiernelöf, an expert on violent extremism.

Expo's revelation that a close relative of one of Sweden's ministers has been active in the violent far-right extremist environment has highlighted these so-called activist clubs.

The movement originated in the U.S., where Robert Rundo, interested in martial arts and previously engaged in the far-right violent Rise Above Movement in California, started the new concept at the end of 2020.

– The idea is to have small autonomous groups that are difficult for the police and security services to monitor. They are disconnected from each other but communicate in networks to quickly gather for action, says Lars Stiernelöf, comparing them to the autonomous groups within the extreme left.

He is a coordinator against violent far-right extremism at Agera Värmland and has worked with violent extremism for over 20 years.

Activist clubs often engage in training and martial arts. They are difficult to map, lack membership registers, and have a much freer structure than the Nordic Resistance Movement, NMR.

– They are not exclusive with their activities. It's not impossible to be a member of NMR and also socialize in an activist club.

NMR on the Decline

Deje in Värmland, Stockholm, Borås, and Gävle were places where activist clubs quickly emerged, just two years after their founding in the U.S.

– NMR was on the decline. They had lost significantly, split in 2019 when Nordic Strength and NMR went separate ways, and were becoming somewhat of an old men's club. They had no appeal to young people, says Lars Stiernelöf.

Moreover, the new concept appealed to the young – compared to NMR's more hardline Nazism.

– Racism is not the focus for activist clubs, but rather the threat to masculinity, where they strongly oppose the LGBTQI community and feminism. This aligns with an ongoing trend on social media where we see an interest in self-improvement, training, and masculinity norms with profiles like Andrew Tate and The Golden One, he says.

The Golden One, or Marcus Follin, is a Swedish nationalist YouTuber with over 120,000 followers. On his channel, he addresses young men with advice on training, masculinity, and how to live an "honorable" life.

Adapting

While the activist clubs are gaining interest, Lars Stiernelöf points out that they involve very few individuals. A few hundred across the country spread over 10 to 20 groups.

As recently as June, the Security Police warned that young people are being drawn into the violent group and radicalized. However, according to the authorities, the clubs are currently not considered a threat of attack.

Lars Stiernelöf believes that the groups are perceived as a threat to NMR.

– They see that they are trying to adapt to this new trend. They have started their own training section and have taken initiatives like Proud White Youth, which is likely about this.

In Jönköping, among other places, the police have noted that NMR is increasingly engaging in gym training.

However, one should not count out NMR, says Lars Stiernelöf.

– They have recovered compared to a few years ago, and they are the only far-right group with a national structure in Sweden. This gives them strength.