DISCLAIMER
Every time you see the words "neo-Nazi", "white supremacist", "white nationalist", "fascist", "xenophobe", or "racist", replace that word with the phrase "delusional piece of human garbage".
Believing that all the Nazis were dealt with in the 90's, dismissing neo-Nazis and white supremacists as "not really Straight Edge", or saying "do you even have proof that they're Nazis?" is the same as giving them a free pass to spread their racist ideals. Don't do it.
These organizations have tens of thousands of fans, followers, supporters, and members, and they're working hard to grow their networks every day. They do not need this website to recruit. Every time we're afraid to show evidence of their racism or even mention them for fear of "giving them a platform", we make it easier for them to spread their hatred and fear-mongering.
White supremacy is a real and disgusting part of the Straight Edge community. We owe it to ourselves and to others to dedicate ourselves to eradicating fascism from our community. There is no more excuse for naïveté or complacency.
The Problem
A violent former football hooligan has used his familiarity with the passionate nationalism and violence of the Eastern-European Ultra (football supporter) scene to create an MMA tournament league where white supremacists can congregate, compete, train, and network. Straight Edge neo-Nazi, Denis Nikitin has spent the last ten years working to unite Europe's vast far-right, fascist, and white supremacist scenes, and has recently been the subject of a profile by Vice News.
From Vice Magazine:
Nikitin is a feared Russian neo-Nazi, hooligan, MMA fighter, entrepreneur, and the kingpin of Europe’s extreme-right MMA scene, which analysts say is one of the most dangerous currents in the continent’s rising right-wing movement.
Spreading Hate: White Rex Clothing
Nikitin is the founder of the White Rex clothing line, an MMA lifestyle brand that seeks to recapture the spirit of the warrior and empower proud warriors to fight against "degenerates". The brand promotes white supremacist messages like Reconquista (reconquering the living space of the white man from refugees and immigrants), a stylized Black Sun logo, and elements like the Falange emblem of the Spanish Fascists. Even it's founding date, August 14, 2008, displayed as 14/08/08, is a coded reference to the 14 words of American Racist David Lane (we must secure a future for the white race), and a Heil Hitler (the 8th letter of the alphabet is H).
Often stylized as WH|RX, the brand states that the acronym stands for "White Heterosexual Reactionary Xenophobe". White Rex is now a preferred label in both the European football supporters (Ultra) and combat sports scenes.
In his rare interviews, Nikitin has outlined his ambitious vision for White Rex as an all-encompassing lifestyle brand — a sort of Nike for Nazis — that promotes his old, ugly ideology as something strong, healthy, and aspirational.
White Rex rejects modern society — its relativism, consumerism, hedonism — in favor of militantly reviving its vision of traditional masculinity: conservative, straight-edge, and unapologetically racist.
Racist Tournaments, Conferences, and Seminars
Nikitin's empire now includes MMA tournaments, initially held in smaller Russian cities, where football hooligans and "patriots" could test their mettle. After first expanding to Russian capitals, Nikitin held the first White Rex MMA tournament in Ukraine in 2012. Since 2013, tournaments have been organized or sponsored in Italy, Hungary, Germany, Greece, and France.
White Rex Pro in Rome, 2013
Tournaments are often in collaboration with local neo-Nazi organizations, such at the NPD in Germany, the Hammerskins, or the fascist CasaPound in Italy. Tournaments include performances by far-right, fascist, and neo-Nazi bands, like Mosh Pit, You Must Murder, and Brainwash. The events are opportunities to raise funds to support neo-Nazis held in prisons, referred to as "Prisoners of Conscience".
Between tournaments, Nikitin spends time on the road, speaking at conferences, visiting fight gyms, and training right-wing paramilitaries in knife fighting.
White Rex Hammer of the Will Tournament
Rise Above Movement
One of the groups inspired by Nikitin and White Rex is the Southern California Straight Edge white supremacist fight club Rise Above Movement (R.A.M.), whose leaders traveled to Europe earlier this year to meet with Nikitin during the celebrations of Hitler's birthday.
Rise Above Movement members on a visit to Europe
Formed from members of hate group DIY Division, Rise Above Movement trains white supremacists in mixed martial arts to combat protesters throughout the US. Like White Rex, R.A.M. has their own clothing line, pushing their anti-drug and white supremacist ideologies, which they sell alongside clothing from White Rex and other brands. R.A.M. were the subject of a Propublica / Frontline PBS documentary Documenting Hate: Charlottesville, eventually leading to the arrest of their leadership for involvement in riots in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017.
A Growing Threat
Even after having been removed from Facebook and Tumblr, White Rex's popularity continues to spread unabated. Nikitin has no plans to slow down, telling a Ukrainian football site that his plans include expansion into sports nutrition, and fitness studios.
Read the full article at Vice.com.
