White Supremacist Martin Sellner of Generation Identity has been arrested at the UK border and will be deported tomorrow.
Generation Identity has been described by antifascist campaigners as “racist and extreme”. The organisation, funded in France, gained prominence in Germany, Austria and Italy. It is often described as Europe’s version of alt-right. Its main mission is to preserve national differences. Its local groups all sport the same yellow-and-black websites and spread anti-migrant, islamophobic and racist content.
Sellner is identitarian activist, blogger and Co-Leader of the Identitarian Movement in Austria. He runs a popular alt-right YouTube channel. He also led the so-called Defend Europe mission which chartered a boat in a bid to block the arrival of boats carrying refugees and migrants in the Mediterranean. Sellner has been pictured alongside Tommy Robinson, and frequently uses hashtag #remigration on social media, in order to “encourage” migrants to return to their homelands. He is also often framing his racist statements as a defence of women’s rights: by claiming that migrants are a threat to women.
Initially, Sellner was due to speak at “free speech” conference of Ukip’s youth wing, Young Independence this weekend. The conference was cancelled amid security concerns, and instead Sellner decided to talk at Hyde Park Speakers’ Corner tomorrow morning. He was arrested while trying to cross the UK border to give that speech.
Despite of Sellner’s arrest, the extreme right is still planning to go on with their Speakers’ Corner event tomorrow morning. Allegedly, Tommy Robinson will be present. London Antifascists are organising a counter-demo, details can be found here.
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Pic: London Antifascists
