Far-right teams are actively recruiting armed forces veterans by contacting them on social media and thru charities, consultants warned.
An alarming report additionally discovered there are “significant gaps” in figuring out right-wing extremists within the police and navy, posing a “significant risk” of harmful ideologies spreading. A report by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) mentioned that far-right teams “strategically infiltrate” safety forces, pointing to dozens of circumstances the place far-right sympathisers had been recognized.
Lack of assist when folks go away makes them weak to extremists, the report states. It mentioned there are widespread considerations about radicalisation inside armed forces following the pro-Donald Trump siege in 2022 and circumstances in Germany. It mentioned police and navy providers want coaching programmes to deal with “hypermasculinity and racism”.
Some 40 Army, Navy and RAF personnel had been investigated over alleged extremism between 2019 and 2022, whereas 20 MoD figures had been referred to the Prevent programme in 2019 and 2020 – 18 of them accused of far-right actions. The RUSI doc pointed to remarks by military veteran Alek Yerbury, “commanding officer” of the far-right National Support Detachment, who claimed his views had been formed within the navy.
It added that “dehumanising training approaches”, typically together with “racist language and stereotypes” can typically be used. The report additionally warns that disaffected veterans missing assist are particularly focused by extremists.
It mentioned: “Individuals leaving the forces can lack support, including assistance with mental health needs resulting from their service, and may be at risk of being enticed by the sense of belonging and familiar organisational structure that far-right groups claim to offer.
“Far-right teams have tried to take advantage of this vulnerability, instantly contacting former service personnel by way of social media and charities.”
Patrik Hermansson, Senior Researcher at HOPE not hate: “HOPE not hate has consistently raised the alarm over individuals we’ve found in the military who are members of the far right. These people are attracted to the military through ideas of masculinity and the access to weaponry which is incredibly concerning as it means that the far right could have a greater capacity for committing acts of violence.
“Proper background checks and training needs to take place within the military to thoroughly vet new recruits and equip decision makers to challenge far-right ideas.”