‘Eco-fascism’ gained much attention following the 2019 Christchurch and El Paso attacks, with both attackers fusing environmental degradation and overpopulation to far-right ideology in their manifestos, and it has subsequently been singled out as a threat by security services. The fringe ‘eco-fascist’ digital subculture first emerged on Telegram and Twitter around 2017 and remains a resilient community. While the subculture is distinct from the broader range of ‘far-right ecologisms’, it has been described as more of an “aesthetic hook” to hang fascist ideas and as a “state of mind”, derived from a mixture of thinkers, rather than a new coherent ideological movement.
A clearer understanding of the eco-fascist subculture’s core beliefs and potential threats requires a detailed overview of the content. This Insight presents findings from a qualitative thematic analysis of data gathered from fifteen public Telegram channels affiliated with eco-fascists over a three-month period. Telegram is of particular interest when examining the subculture, as eco-fascism is most highly concentrated there and users are subject to less platform scrutiny. Additionally, channels can often overlap with far-right militant accelerationist networks promoting violence, including the ‘Terrorgram’ community.
Read more at the Global Network on Extremism and Technology
