The RCMP has arrested two people and charged one of them with three terrorism offences in a first-of-its-kind case. Patrick Gordon Macdonald of Ottawa, 26, is facing three terrorism charges for allegedly participating in making and distributing propaganda for the far-right Atomwaffen Division.
For context:
The force said it found evidence in its investigation that Macdonald allegedly helped create and distribute three propaganda videos for the Atomwaffen Division.
According to Public Safety Canada, the Atomwaffen Division was founded in 2013 in the United States and is a neo-Nazi group. It also goes by the name National Socialist Order (NSO). It was listed as a terrorist entity on Feb. 2, 2021.
“The group calls for acts of violence against racial, religious, and ethnic groups, and informants, police, and bureaucrats, to prompt the collapse of society,” the department said in its terrorism listing.
“AWD has previously held training camps, also known as hate camps, where its members receive weapons and hand-to-hand combat training.”
Like Orwell, I rear up a little when people flippantly throw around the word “fascist,” but this is the real deal. It’s mind boggling that these kinds of groups exist and have the resources that they do.
Considering this is the first arrest of its kind in this country, I certainly will be monitoring the far-right news outlets (The Rebel, et al.) for their reactions. Any bets that they will stand behind the literal neo-nazi?