Far-Right Vigilantes Stoke Fear Across Europe
Wearing black shirts marked with an iron cross, a small group of men marched through Reykjavík’s city center on a busy Friday night, drawing stares. In Poland and the Netherlands, self-appointed guards gathered near the German border, prepared to intercept asylum seekers. In Belfast, they patrolled after dark, demanding identification from migrants and people of color.
These groups, part of a recent surge in anti-migrant vigilante activity across Europe, claim to act as protectors. But experts warn their tactics often heighten tensions, spread fear, and embolden far-right movements.
“Most of this is symbolic. They don’t stop migration or improve public safety,” said Tore Bjørgo, a professor at the University of Oslo and former head of its Center for Research on Extremism. “It’s a performance for attention, often used by far-right groups for recruitment and political influence.”
Europe has repeatedly seen rising anti-migrant vigilantism when public debate around immigration grows more hostile. This summer was no exception: in Spain’s Murcia region, individuals carrying batons roamed the streets to target foreigners, while Belfast faced a wave of intimidation against people of color. In Poland, so-called “citizen patrols,” sometimes numbering in the hundreds, assembled along the German border, claiming they were necessary to stop asylum seekers from crossing.
In the Netherlands, a small group patrolled near the villages of Ter Apel and Sellingen in June, wearing reflective vests and carrying flashlights. Reports said they stopped vehicles overnight, demanding identification from drivers.
Rights organizations and officials say these actions stem from fear and misinformation. Before the unrest in Spain, government data showed a 1,500% spike in racist social media posts. Meanwhile, the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights in Warsaw linked Poland’s border patrols to a political narrative that frames migration as a threat, increasing distrust in institutions.
Though the vigilantes claim to act out of concern, they often instill fear among the very communities they claim to protect. “There’s no proof they make anyone feel safer—in fact, the opposite,” Bjørgo said. While they seldom resort to physical violence, their aggressive demeanor suggests a potential for intimidation, particularly unsettling for minority groups.
