Their flash action made headlines: for the first time in Switzerland, hooded right-wing extremists led a corona demo. A week ago, almost 50 neo-Nazis in Bern led a procession of 2,000 opponents of the measures, with megaphones and a red and white front banner: “Now it’s over!”
That was “completely new,” said Bern’s security director Reto Nause shortly after the action. The development worries him.
The militant Junge Tat took the lead
Who are the hoods? How surprising is your march? How does the movement react?
The right-wing extremists have been involved for a long time. They come from the environment of the Identitarian Movement and the neo-Nazi network Blood and Honor, which is banned in Germany.
The Bern action was coordinated by a militant, rapidly growing organization of young right-wing extremists. Their leader: the Jew hater, convicted racist and gun fanatic MC* (21). In the live stream during the demo, he said: “We are the Junge Tat, the young patriotic group that stands up against compulsory vaccination and the unjustified measures and is leading the demo today.”
Copied with the “comrades” abroad
When the right-wing extremists pushed their way forward in Bern, nobody stopped them. The unauthorized march was too disorganized. The weakening of the movement is the strength of the neo-Nazis. Since the clear yes to the Covid law, the number of participants in rallies has been falling, and leading figures have reduced their commitment. Now the neo-Nazis are stepping out of the shadows – and filling the power vacuum.
Research Notes
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For many months, the Junge Tat has been trying to instrumentalize the movement of the opponents of the measures. Initially hidden as “youth against compulsory vaccination”, over time more and more open. They copied their actions from their “comrades” abroad. In Germany and Austria, too, right-wing extremists are successfully hijacking the demonstrations against the Corona measures. Violence against police officers and media representatives is becoming more and more common at marches.
The model for the new right scene, to which the Junge Tat also belongs, is Vienna. Since the Austrian government decided to make vaccination compulsory, tens of thousands have been protesting there every Saturday. The content and symbolism of the demos are increasingly being determined by militant right-wingers, above all activists around Martin Sellner, the head of the Identitarian movement.
The scene is cross-border networked
The red and white banners also have their origins in Vienna. Striking messages staged by masked people: “Control the border, not your people!” Or: «Your needle will break on us.» Almost identical posters have been appearing at Corona demos in dozens of German-speaking cities for a few weeks now, including in Bern.
The scene is networked across borders – a right-wing extremist international. In Bern, neo-Nazis from abroad were there, such as the Dortmunder MW *, he posed for a selfie in front of the Bundeshaus. On Instagram he received a like from the Identitarian boss Sellner from Austria.
The Federal Intelligence Service (NDB) reports that it is constantly assessing the situation. Spokeswoman Lea Rappo: “The FIS is currently finding that some of the opponents of measures to combat the corona pandemic advocate, promote or practice acts of violence.” This included not only “violent corona extremists”. Militant right-wing extremists would also try to place their messages in this environment.
“Right-wing extremization” of the protest
The Austrian secret service becomes more concrete. On Friday, the head of the Directorate for State Security and Intelligence, Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, warned against an internationalization of the Corona protests.
The development is “very scary”. According to Haijawi-Pirchner, many activists come from the right-wing scene. “They used the demonstrations to spread their anti-Semitic ideology and to meet and network with other right-wing extremists.” The German Office for the Protection of the Constitution spoke of a “right-wing extremization” of the protest.
It is no coincidence that neo-Nazis in the Swiss Corona movement encounter little opposition. There have always been points of contact in terms of content and personnel. The basic criticism of the Corona demos is similar to the narrative that right-wing extremist groups have been using for years. They propagate a radical attitude against the state, distrust all authorities that have a say in everyday life. The enemies are the same: politicians, journalists, scientists. In addition, anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and the downplaying of the Holocaust have always been part of the movement.
Opponent of measures Spiri: “Shame of Bern”
The mixed milieu of the opponents of the measures found it difficult from the outset to differentiate themselves from right-wing extremist agitators. The neo-Nazis of Bern are also reaping benevolent comments in the Telegram chats. A supporter writes: “You have the courage to lead the demo. Keep it up guys, we need you!”
But there are also critical voices. Joyce Küng, “Weltwoche” author and ardent opponent of the measures, was shocked by the events in Bern on Twitter: “It shook me, and many of us really had trouble with it.”
Robin Spiri, who is followed by tens of thousands of opponents of the measures on Telegram, even calls the events a “shame of Bern”. The day after the demo, he wrote: “I condemn this in the strongest possible terms and ask all civil rights activists to oppose it.” If this does not happen, he is “out”. Shortly thereafter, Spiri deleted his announcement. The reactions were too violent.
* Names known to editors