Europol warns of the spread of violent far-right online communities

More than 800 cases of violent or “terrorist” content have been reported since the Europol operation. This Monday, the European Police Office warns that the threat from transnational far-right online communities leading to attacks is on the rise.

Two recent attacks, one in the US and another in Slovakia, by suspected far-right militants “illustrate the alarming proliferation of violent far-right and terrorist activities around the world,” Europol said in a statement. “The perpetrators of these attacks were part of transnational online communities and drew inspiration from other violent right-wing extremists and terrorists,” he added in a statement.

Europol and law enforcement agencies from 13 EU countries and the UK organized a day of action on Thursday to crack down on extremist and violent content online, including livestreams, manifestos, demands and glorification of attacks. As a result, 831 messages were reported on 34 platforms, Europol said, adding that “the threat posed by violent extremism and terrorism is constantly increasing.”

Internet propaganda, the main element of radicalization

Europol pointed to two attacks blamed on right-wing violent extremism that may be linked to online content. The first was the murder of ten black people by self-proclaimed white supremacist Peyton Gendron in Buffalo, New York, USA, in May of this year. The second case occurred when a “radicalized teenager”, allegedly the son of a prominent member of the far-right party, shot and killed two men outside a gay bar in the Slovak capital Bratislava in October.

According to Europol, these attacks highlighted the central role of online propaganda in their radicalization process. “This shows that online abuse continues to be an important aspect of violent radicalization and right-wing recruitment. »

Another recent example of an increase in far-right violence in Europe came after the arrest of 25 conspiracy suspects in Germany earlier this month. Prosecutors said the group planned to overthrow the state and install its own government through violent means. Counterterrorism experts said the group was inspired by online conspiracy theories, including the QAnon theory.