White Nationalist Groups in Canada are Growing, Experts Warn Following Rally in London, Ont.
LONDON, ONT. – A gathering of approximately 30 individuals displaying white nationalist symbols in a london, Ont., park this past weekend is a sign of a growing and increasingly organized movement in Canada, according to experts tracking extremist groups. The rally, which took place at Westminster Ponds and was documented by the social media group Second Sons, has sparked concern among residents and prompted warnings that similar events are likely to occur.
The incident underscores a worrying trend: the organized white nationalist movement in Canada is currently the largest it has been in modern history. groups like Second Sons Canada, the Dominion Society, Diagolon, and the Active Club movement are gaining traction, fueled by online recruitment and a shared ideology centered around “remigration” – the forced removal of immigrants and a halt to further immigration. This ideology, experts say, is spreading beyond southern ontario and poses a threat to Canada’s multicultural fabric.
The Dominion Society, which reposted the second Sons’ social media post, explicitly advocates for the suspension of all permanent immigration for at least a decade, making Canada “less hospitable” for immigrants, revoking permanent residency status, and implementing mass deportations, according to its website.
“The idea that these white nationalist groups are significantly smaller than they present online would have been vrey true up until a couple of years ago,” said David Woodrow, an self-reliant researcher tracking extremist groups. “A big part of that [growth] is Second Sons Canada,the Dominion Society,Diagolon,the Active Club movement.”
Experts point to social media as a key driver of this growth, facilitating connections between like-minded individuals and amplifying extremist messaging. The rally’s documentation and dissemination online demonstrate the groups’ ability to coordinate and publicize their activities.
Local resident John Vermue, whose family has direct ties to the Second World War, expressed his distress. “This is happening right after Remembrance Day. My [uncle] died in the Air Force over Normandy. My father’s family was in the [Nazi-occupied netherlands],” he said. “I don’t want that message hear. I don’t want to see 30 of these people, or 40, or 60, or 100. I don’t want to see them at all. not in my neighbourhood.”
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the increasing visibility and organization of white nationalist groups within Canada, and experts warn that without continued monitoring and proactive measures, such gatherings are unlikely to be isolated events.
