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.
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.