A man has been arrested following a seven-hour stand-off with police after two people were stabbed by an assailant wielding two knives. Locals claimed the knifeman was ‘covered in blood’ and had tried to get into a school and a nursery before being chased away.
One local worker described how he saw the man standing outside the shop ‘covered in blood’ as his manager chased him away with a spirit level.
One man, who asked not to be named, told Edinburgh Live: “The man was stood outside the back of the shops. I could see his hands covered in blood. And the knives were drenched in it.” He added: “Parents from the school were running with their kids into cars. We begged the police to come and help.”
Police said the incident was not being treated as terror-related.
Of course. Typical Highland high spirits.
The ‘knifeman’ was reportedly trying to break into a nursery or school, but the police are just calling it a “disturbance”.
The news stories keep describing him as the “Scottish man” or the “Edinburgh man”. By way of Somalia.
It has been reported by one national newspaper that the detained man is from Somalia but this has yet to be confirmed.
It’ll be confirmed once he opens an autism clinic.
Christopher Street Day in Gelsenkirchen was cancelled on May 17, 2025, shortly before it was scheduled to begin, due to a credible threat of an attack. According to media reports, the threat was believed to be Islamist-motivated.
Christopher Street Day was supposed to take place in Gelsenkirchen on May 17, 2025. However, the event, with around 600 registered participants, was canceled at short notice after security authorities uncovered a specific threat against it. According to Spiegel magazine, this threat is believed to have had an Islamist background.
On the morning of the planned CSD, the North Rhine-Westphalia State Criminal Police Office became aware of a video posted on TikTok in which a male user announced an attack. Investigators classified the content as credible. According to Der Spiegel, the suspect’s profile picture showed a black flag and the so-called tauhid finger – symbols often used by Islamist groups.
The investigation focuses on a young person who is believed to be resident in Switzerland. According to the Lucerne public prosecutor’s office, the juvenile prosecutor’s office is conducting proceedings against him. No further information can be provided until the investigation has been completed, it said.
The organising association ‘Together’ justified the decision at the time in a statement citing a ‘diffuse threat situation’. Although the cancellation had ‘devastating effects on the visibility of the community’, the association emphasised: ‘The safety of all participants is our top priority.’
A spokesperson for the association further explained: ‘One hour before the start of the event, we received a call from the police informing us that there was a vague warning of an attack’. He added: ‘The warning was for a CSD in North Rhine-Westphalia, but it was not specific regarding the location’
Vienna with St. Stephen’s Cathedral [Stephansdom]. Illustration, GROK
A member of the Austrian Parliament has warned that Christian churches are being targeted by “left-wing extremists and radical Islamists” in an exclusive interview with LifeSiteNews.
Norbert Nemeth from the Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ) told LifeSiteNews that he has submitted a parliamentary inquiry regarding discrimination and hostility toward Christians in Austria.
“The inquiry was prompted by the increasing number of religiously and politically motivated incidents against Christians,” Nemeth said. “This is a development that is particularly noticeable in a metropolis such as Vienna.”
The MP referenced a fake bomb threat at a Catholic Mass ahead of the March for Life in Vienna, as well as churches regularly being targeted by anti-Christian graffiti and vandalism.
“A clear picture is emerging, namely that Christian churches, memorial sites, and events are not immune to politically motivated attacks but, on the contrary, are increasingly becoming the target of left-wing extremist and radical Islamist criminals,” he stated.
In its response to the parliamentary inquiry, the Austrian Interior Ministry acknowledged there was an increase in incidents in Christian churches in Austria’s capital: “Based on current knowledge and data, with the exception of the federal state of Vienna, there are no indications or findings in the state police departments of an increase in security-related incidents in churches or Christian memorial sites.”
When asked about the latest report by OIDAC Europe that showed a significant increase in arson attacks against churches in Europe, and 2,211 anti-Christian hate crimes in 2024 overall, Nemeth said: “I believe it is urgently necessary to find out how many anti-Christian crimes are committed in Austria and the European Union. Unfortunately, the data on this is scarce, especially since double standards are applied.”
“While attacks on mosques and synagogues receive widespread media attention, little or nothing is heard about attacks on churches,” the Austrian MP told LifeSiteNews.
“The situation is similar with regard to the criminal offense of denigrating religious teachings. This can be described as a dead letter of the law, but only when it comes to Christian teachings,” he said, implying that denigrating other religions would still be punished.
“I would expect more courage from the representatives of the churches in this regard, rather than burying their heads in the sand.”
EU censorship and relationship with the Trump administration
Asked about the European Union’s online censorship efforts, especially its $140 million fine against Elon Musk’s platform X under the Digital Services Act (DSA), Nemeth said, “The attacks against the platform X clearly bear the hallmarks of political motivation. We, the Freedom Party, strongly reject the EU Commission’s actions against the platform X.”
“The EU Commission obviously has a problem with free citizens expressing uncomfortable opinions critical of the current system and is now attempting to suppress them with such measures,” he told LifeSiteNews. “This constitutes a clear attack on freedom of expression, which we strongly reject. X should remain a platform where free expression is possible and encouraged. It should also be noted that the EU Commission is not the body that should decide what is posted on which platform and by whom.”
“We clearly reject the Digital Services Act,” Nemeth stressed. “It is riddled with vague definitions. For example, it is unclear what exactly constitutes ‘disinformation’ or ‘hate speech.’ Such vague definitions invite political abuse. That is why the DSA is effectively turning out to be an instrument of censorship and control.”
Tensions between EU elites and the Trump administration have been high due to disagreements on free speech, immigration, and Greenland, among other issues. In a partially leaked U.S. security paper, the Trump administration named several European nations, including Austria, as potential conservative partners that could counter the leftist and liberal EU elites. Austria was likely named because of the strength of the right-wing FPÖ, which is currently polling at up to 37 percent of the vote, around 17 points ahead of the second-place Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP).
“The developments of the past decade, marked by uncontrolled mass migration, the CO2 planned economy, the coronavirus measures, and queer ideology, have left deep wounds,” Nemeth told LifeSiteNews.
Regarding a potentially closer alliance with a conservative government in the U.S., he said, “The new U.S. security strategy heralds a new era, not only for the EU, but also for a party such as the FPÖ. For the first time in the Second Republic, the world’s strongest military power views a patriotic party such as the FPÖ not as an accident of history, but as a political and strategic partner.”
In 1940, Harvard student John F. Kennedy wrote a famous thesis titled Why England Slept. With the help of his powerful father, the thesis was later published in book form and sold 80,000 copies. Kennedy used the U.S. royalties in the most American of ways: he bought himself a Buick convertible.
Why England Slept examined England’s response (or non-response) to Adolf Hitler’s rise to power, which began all the way back in 1933, under two prime ministers, Stanley Baldwin and Neville Chamberlain. Kennedy doesn’t condemn either man. Instead, he looks at the many factors that kept Great Britain from stopping Hitler when there was still time to avoid World War II. Those factors included the residual trauma of World War I and a democracy whose people wanted nothing to do with another European war.
In my thesis, “Why England Sucks,” we will examine why England sucks….
For 47 years, since 1979, the Islamic Republic of Iran has operated openly, proudly, and brazenly as a terrorist regime responsible for countless horrors all over the region. These homicidal maniacs have deliberately destabilized the region, murdered scores of innocents, and funded countless terrorist organizations, all with the stated goal of exterminating Israel and eventually the West and installing a worldwide Islamic theocracy.
The Islamic Republic is not Iraq’s Saddam Hussein; it is not a tyranny blustering about the ability to commit mass murder using weapons of mass destruction that do not exist. Rather, Iran has openly and aggressively pursued a nuclear weapon and the ballistic missiles required to deliver those nukes anywhere in the world.
Being fully aware of all this, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer still initially turned down President Trump’s request to use American air bases on British soil to launch last weekend’s preemptive attack on Iran.
The importance of these air bases cannot be understated, especially as it relates to the success of the mission and risk involved for U.S. military personnel. This is also the second time Starmer has refused access. He also denied access for last year’s strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities.
One particular facility in England “is the USAF’s ‘only bomber Forward Operating Location’ in Europe, and can handle the largest, most heavily-laden aircraft in the world,” writes my colleague Oliver JJ Lane.
Without this access the Air Force’s job was and is made much more difficult.
“[T]he pre-emptive strikes against Iran’s nuclear programme last year were launched at much greater range from the U.S. mainland instead and sustained with a considerable air tanker refuelling effort,” wrote Lane.
“[I]t does make the job more complex for Washington, adds layers of risk, and continues to undermine the UK-U.S. ‘special relationship’.”
You see, Starmer isn’t interested in our “special relationship.” Rather, to appease Muslim voters Starmer hides behind international law. His Labour Party’s saftest seats were once in white working-class areas, and those have become Muslim migrant areas. The Labor Party used to garner the Muslim vote with ease, but now Muslims are abandoning the party in favor of electing independent candidates running on Gaza solidarity platforms.
Here’s a quote attributed to senior Labour Party figure Wes Streeting:
I fear we’re in big trouble here – and I am toast at the next election. We just lost our safest ward in Redbridge (51% Muslim, Ilford S) to a Gaza independent. At this rate I don’t think we’ll hold either of the two Ilford seats. There isn’t a clear answer to the question: why Labour?
That’s only partly why England sucks…
After Israel and America’s weekend attack began, for whatever insane reason, Iran began launching missile and drone attacks on countries all over the region. The thinking behind this must involve a Rube Goldbergian piece of logic that goes like this: America attacks Iran. Iran attacks you. You blame America for provoking our attack on you. You attack America. Iran’s leaders go back to shoving women in black bags, throwing homosexuals off buildings, and making goats nervous.
Whatever.
That didn’t work.
Instead, a number of the countries hit by Iran’s sweaty and desperate unprovoked attacks over the weekend have since come out on the side of Israel and America… This includes Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and…
England!
Yes, England is now lumped in as every bit as much of a fair-weather friend as Middle Eastern countries.
Only after Iran launched its missiles all over the region did Sir Starmer agree to give the United States access to these bases in England. Even then, Starmer has limited any strikes to defensive actions against Iranian missile sites.
In summation: the partner in our so-called special relationship 1) won’t join the fight and 2) won’t even allow us to use these bases in the way we deem best to bring this war to a conclusion.
Meanwhile:
The Gulf Cooperation Council of Arab States (GCC) – signals they may start “aggressive operations” in response to Iranian attacks on member states — a signal Saudi Arabia, UAE and others are prepared to take offensive military action against Iran to defend their security. "They…
Referring to Starmer’s reluctant change of heart, Trump said, “It is useful. It took far too much time. Far too much time.”
“That’s probably never happened between our countries before,” Trump said of Starmer’s initial refusal. “It sounds like he was worried about the legality.”
Yes, by his own admission, Starmer is worried about “international law,” which is nothing more than a refuge for political cowards.
Starmer is damaging the most politically and strategically important relationship in that country’s long history, all to appease Jew-haters in a desperate attempt to win their votes.
The European Commission presented its new strategy, “ProtectEU: Agenda to prevent and counter terrorism,” an ambitious document that seeks to update the Union’s response to an evolving threat environment.
On paper, the initiative aims to anticipate risks, prevent radicalisation, and strengthen police and judicial cooperation. In practice, however, it seeks to broaden the concept of “terrorism” and “violent extremism” to such an extent that it ultimately encompasses increasingly diffuse political and cultural categories (and is convenient for those in power).
The result is a framework in which the boundary between criminal violence and ideological dissent becomes dangerously blurred.
The document itself acknowledges that, although jihadist terrorism remains “the most prominent and lethal threat,” terrorist actors are driven by a “growing range of motivations,” including the “rejection of European democratic values,” antisemitism, anti-Muslim hatred and, among others, “anti-LGBTQ+ hatred,” misogyny, racism, “anti-system ideologies,” or even “nihilism.”
The additional problem is no longer only what they call combating crimes “motivated by hatred or violence”—something already codified in most national legal systems, albeit in an imprecise manner—but integrating this open-ended catalogue of motivations into the strategic umbrella of counterterrorism policy.
In other words, terrorism ceases to be defined primarily by the use of violence for political purposes and instead becomes a flexible category that can include cultural attitudes, moral positions, or criticism of the European institutional order.
Who defines those values, and what happens when a legitimate political force questions certain policies coming from Brussels?
From violence to dissent
The proposal insists that actions will be carried out with respect for fundamental rights. However, the institutional design it proposes—strengthening Europol, expanding data sharing, increasing digital surveillance, and cooperating with online platforms to detect “radicalising” content—creates an ecosystem in which the administrative interpretation of what constitutes “extremism” gains decisive weight.
The text explicitly mentions cooperation to improve AI-assisted detection of “extremist and radicalisation” content, as well as a possible revision of the Regulation on Terrorist Content Online. It also envisages “harmonising” definitions of “hate crimes” in the digital sphere.
In that context, the category of “anti-system ideologies” or “nihilism” is far from trivial. In an increasingly heated political climate, Eurosceptic movements, sovereigntist parties, or voices critical of the dominant progressive cultural and political agenda could find themselves subject to enhanced scrutiny simply for their frontal opposition to certain EU policies. It closely resembles what Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) is currently experiencing in Germany.
The great absentee: the debate on Islamism
It is worth noting that, while the document recognises that jihadist terrorism remains the most lethal threat in Europe, it avoids any structural reflection on the ideological and cultural factors that fuel this phenomenon on European soil.
There is talk of “anti-Muslim hatred,” of protecting religious communities, and of combating Islamophobia—legitimate objectives in a plural society—but there is no equivalent debate on political Islamism, the influence of transnational networks, or the integration challenges that have been highlighted after attacks in cities such as Paris, Brussels, or Vienna over the past decade.
Instead, the conceptual expansion toward categories such as “misogyny” or “rejection of European values” implies that everything can be radicalisation—except questioning the ideological dynamics that have been behind the bloodiest attacks on European territory.
The risk is twofold: on the one hand, trivialising the term “terrorism” to the point of emptying it of operational meaning; on the other, making an honest analysis of the most serious threats more difficult.
A group of thieves, reportedly of South American origin from a nearby Roma camp, were fleeing from Italian police in Rome when they rammed their vehicle into an Italian family traveling in another vehicle on Via Collatina, claiming the lives of the entire family.
The tragedy, involving the death of a mother, father and son in the Quarticciolo neighborhood, occurred just hours after Pope Leo XIV visited the area to meet with residents and “listened to the mothers of drug addicts” in a neighborhood characterized as a “kingdom of the gangs of pushers” currently “waiting for redevelopment.”
Authorities say the incident began at 10:00 p.m. when three men of South American origin, described as specialists in residential and vehicle thefts, failed to comply with a police stop. The suspects fled at “full throttle” in a Toyota Yaris. During the chase, the vehicle crossed into the oncoming lane and struck a Fiat Punto traveling in the opposite direction.
The occupants of the Fiat Punto — 70-year-old Giovanni Battista Ardovini, 64-year-old Patrizia Capraro, and their 42-year-old son, Alessio — were killed. The crash impact was so strong that it reportedly killed the parents instantly, according to Italian news outlet Il Messaggero. Officials stated “the family was exterminated,” noting the parents died at the scene while their son died shortly after being transported to a hospital.
Two of the suspects were injured and remain under guard in the emergency room, while a third accomplice was “handcuffed and immediately arrested by the police.” All three face charges of conspiracy to commit vehicular homicide, resisting a public official, and possession of burglary tools. Investigators discovered screwdrivers and “jammers to neutralize anti-theft devices” inside the suspects’ car.
The crash took place on the eastern outskirts of Rome, near the site of a 2021 pursuit that killed 14-year-old Sheena Lossetto.
Addressing the conduct of the pursuit, the Police Headquarters specified that while one Carabinieri patrol car “lost contact with the fleeing vehicle,” the primary police car remained in pursuit, “albeit at a distance, so as not to generate risks.”
Investigators from the Flying Squad and forensic teams are continuing their inspection of the site. Preliminary findings suggest that “probably due to excessive speed, the driver of the criminals’ car lost control” before driving the wrong way into the path of the victims.
A transgender Reddit moderator who was allegedly involved in banning a subreddit for women critical of gender ideology was previously convicted of domestic abuse. The moderator, who posts under the username u/Bardfinn and is widely described by users as a “power moderator” due to involvement across multiple subreddits, was reportedly active in discussions and moderation actions related to complaints about the community prior to its removal.
The subreddit r/WomensLiberation described itself as a space for women who are critical of contemporary gender identity policies to discuss their views, including concerns about the impact of such policies on women’s rights and single-sex spaces. Some participants identified as lesbians and expressed concern about the inclusion of trans-identified males in lesbian-only communities. Other users emphasized what they described as the importance of biological sex in policy and social debates, sharing news articles and opinion pieces aligned with those views.
Posts on the subreddit frequently expressed skepticism toward gender identity ideology. In one thread, a user wrote that being labeled “transphobic” was, in their view, “the natural outcome of critical thinking.” Another commenter argued that acknowledging biological reality should not be considered harmful.
Another user said that trans-identified individuals “prey on the fact we’re kind… they tell you not to think about the other side of things, because if you do, you’re a bad person.” A fourth commenter relayed her story of her first meeting with a trans-identified “lesbian,” who “wouldn’t stop talking to me about how they kept their penis in a literal penis cage.”
r/WomensLiberation, a subreddit of women who rejected trans ideology, was targeted by a harassment campaign from r/AgainstHateSubreddits last night.
r/WomensLiberation is now banned.
It appears that u/Bardfinn, a "powerful" trans reddit moderator, orchestrated the campaign. pic.twitter.com/yfqp0zxtJ8
The above comments, along with further similar innocuous statements, were taken as evidence by posters on r/AgainstHateSubreddits that the “sole purpose” of r/WomensLiberation was to “promote hatred of transgender individuals, which violates Reddit’s Site-wide Rule 1 which forbids the promotion of hate based on identity or vulnerability.” As a result, users demanded that the subreddit be “banned immediately.”
r/AgainstHateSubreddits is focused on monitoring other communities that its members find disagreeable, usually on the basis of politics. It is known for orchestrating campaigns to get Reddit’s administration to ban subreddits it has labeled as “transphobic” or “racist.” According to some users, one of the tactics used by members of this subreddit is to download child sexual abuse material and spam the targeted subreddit with the images and videos, forcing Reddit administrators to take immediate action against the impacted subreddit for breaking rules on child pornography. This tactic was directly exposed by a whistleblower who had previously participated in r/AgainstHateSubreddits chat groups and witnessed members openly discussing this strategy.
One of the most prominent moderators involved in r/AgainstHateSubreddits is u/Bardfinn, who boasted that within 24 hours of being targeted by users, r/WomensLiberation was successfully banned by Reddit. The ban was highlighted yesterday by X user Reddit Lies, who has previously documented u/Bardfinn‘s extensive weaponization of his role.
u/Bardfinn is the alias of Steven Joel Akins, 46, a trans-identified male who has previously been openly involved in the removal of other feminist subreddits, such as r/GenderCritical, along with the attempted takeover of r/DeTrans, a subreddit offering a safe space for detransitioners, or those considering detransition, to discuss their journey. Akins is also known by the feminine name “Penelope Oaken.”
As noted in a 2021 post on Graham Linehan’s Substack, “Bardfinn is offended by anything less than 100 per cent enthusiasm for transgenderism.” He also has a history of making concerning comments, including arguing that incest “isn’t unethical.”
In 2023, X account Males of Reddit highlighted Akins’ criminal record, noting that he had arrests and convictions related to abusing his child and former partner.
Akins was charged with “assault causing family injury” in 2010 after being arrested in Texas for assaulting his then ex-wife in the presence of their young child. The victim told police that Akins had previously struck his son as “punishment,” causing the child to develop bruises.
During an argument between the couple, Akins picked up their child, who was just 14 months old at the time, and “refused to allow [his mother] to soothe him.” He then allegedly proceeded to repeatedly poke her on her sides, causing bruising, while taunting her to try and stop him.
According to investigative forum KiwiFarms, Akins’ full rap sheet is even longer, with charges for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, unlawful weapon possession, drug possession, and being a “failed ID fugitive,” implying he unsuccessfully attempted to conceal his identity from a law enforcement officer.
Reddit has repeatedly experienced scandals involving trans-identified users in positions of power, both in voluntary moderator positions, and those directly employed by the company.
Challenor, also known as Aimee Knight, is a trans-identified male who was formerly seen as a rising star within Britain’s Green Party. Three years prior, however, he was forced to pull out of the race to become deputy leader of the party at just aged 20 after it was revealed that he had hired his father to work on his campaign after being charged for the rape and torture of a 10-year-old girl.
Challenor nevertheless hid his father’s sickening past from the public before it was discovered in what the party would later call a “major safeguarding risk.” While under scrutiny, Challenor’s romantic partner was similarly embroiled in controversy after internet sleuths discovered he had admitted to becoming aroused while fantasizing about children being sexually abused.
oh, and just incase you missed it: Aimee Challenor is allegedly in a 'polycule' with two individuals.
Nathanial Knight, a man who admitted to fantasising about children having sex and using 'mind control' on them, and Katrina Swales, another transwoman, who has a baby fetish. pic.twitter.com/MU71dUQwtW
After being hired on at Reddit as a top administrator, multiple popular subreddits locked their communities down in protest of Challenor’s involvement in the site’s administration. He was later terminated from the post.
Scandals have continued to abound on the platform, including when in 2022 the site banned the term “groomer” as being a slur against the LGBTQ community. This received pushback from many users, and groups such as Gays Against Groomers.
“By banning this word from their platform in such terms, Reddit is not only inadvertently expressing their support for the grooming and abuse of children, but also paints our community … as those who support and engage in it,” Jaime Michell, the founder of GAG, told Reduxx at the time.
Andrea Ballarati, one of the leaders of the “Remigration” lobby, demonstrating at a rally in Vienna.
A right-wing Italian activist is set to stand trial for hate speech over statements he published on social media in recent years.
Andrea Ballarati, 24, known for promoting the concept of remigration among Italian and European politicians, posted a series of written and video messages between 2020 and 2023 strongly criticising immigration and multicultural policies in Europe.
“Remigration” is a term increasingly used by right-wing, nationalist movements in Europe and the US to describe the large-scale, often forced deportation of illegal immigrants, refugees and sometimes their naturalised or native-born descendants to their countries of origin or ethnic ancestry.
“They’re trying to silence me because I advocate remigration,” Ballarati said, describing the trial as a judicial tool designed to criminalise his cause and to distance mainstream parties from it.
According to documents ordering the indictment — seen by Brussels Signal — the videos are described as “characterised by symbolism and a strong identitarian component”.
Among the phrases he used which were cited in court documents were: “Immigrant gangs that have never integrated and now dictate the rules in our cities are proof of the failure of the multicultural project,” “We call on real Italians to rise up,” and “France, Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, and many other countries are now on the verge of becoming immigrant-majority,” concluding with: “There is no more time, one watchword: act.”
If convicted, Ballarati could face up to one year and six months in prison.
The case has sparked debate across Europe, not only over the divisive issue of hate speech versus freedom of expression. Critics have also raised concerns about a transnational network calling itself “Identitarian” — of which Ballarati is considered a leading figure — that promotes the idea of remigration within right-wing parties in national parliaments, allegedly pushing them toward further radicalisation.
The Identitarian movement has been described by the media as a transnational lobby of young activists associated with the New Right, a radical political and cultural group that emerged in the 1960s.
It rejects nostalgic celebrations of 1930s regimes while emphasising cultural identity, sovereignty and the defence of differences among peoples, prioritising cultural influence (“metapolitics”) over direct partisan activity.
Critics accuse its members of being neo-fascists who have cleaned up their symbols and rhetoric— a claim the movement rejects.
Over the past few years, the network has forged ties with several European right-wing parties, lobbying for remigration.
The movement has strong ties with Lega and Fratelli d’Italia parties in Italy, Alternative for Germany (AfD), the Freedom Party (FPÖ) in Austria, and National Assembly (RN) in France. Many figures in these parties openly discuss remigration policies.
Ballarati became known to the Italian public in spring 2025 when he organised the Remigration Summit near Milan. That brought politicians and activists from across Europe and the US to Italy who share this agenda. The indictment came afterwards, although the investigation had been ongoing for several years.
As a teenager, Ballarati was a member of the youth wing of Fratelli d’Italia, the party of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and currently the main party in Italy’s governing coalition.
Later, after leaving the party, he founded a small right-wing association of about 10 young activists, with whom he published videos critical of immigration — including the statements now under scrutiny. His affiliation with the Identitarian movement became publicly known in 2023, when he spoke on stage at a demonstration in Vienna.
“Shortly after returning to Italy from Vienna, I received the notice informing me that I had been under investigation since 2021,” Ballarati said, adding that he believes the timing was no coincidence. The investigation reportedly began following one or more complaints about his videos, although he does not know by whom. “I will only find out when I go to trial.”
Ballarati claims that other documents show his phone was intercepted through a type of spyware, which retrieved his contacts, some of which, considered problematic by investigators, are mentioned in the files. He has not shared these, citing the privacy of the individuals involved.
“After receiving the notice,” he continued, “I was interrogated at the police headquarters in Como, the provincial capital where I live.
“During the interrogation, I was asked very few questions about the incriminated statements and many more about the concept of remigration and ethnic replacement, which have nothing to do with this proceeding.
“They were especially interested in my international contacts, particularly with other branches of the identitarian movement in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland,” he said.
Since then, he said he had received no updates until recently, when he was informed that the investigation would lead to trial.
Ballarati puts the trial within a broader European debate over the influence identitarian networks allegedly exercise behind the scenes on right-wing parties.
“In nearly every country where we operate, we face political, judicial, and intelligence pressure to cut our contacts with mainstream parties, whose leaders themselves are pressured on these matters,” he said.
“They do not want issues like remigration and ethnic replacement on the political agenda.”
In Italy, he claims the movement maintains good relations with Lega, whose prominent members have expressed solidarity, while Fratelli d’Italia’s leadership avoids the topic of remigration.
“Acknowledging it would imply admitting that their immigration policies are failing,” he said, “though the youth wing of the party is openly with us.”
Until last year, the concept of remigration was virtually unknown in Italy. But after being promoted at the Remigration Summit, it has quickly become a topic in political debates.
Recently, a group of neo-fascist associations gathered the necessary signatures to submit a proposed law on remigration to the Italian parliament.
If validated, Italy would become the first European parliament forced to debate the introduction of a national remigration law.
“We have nothing to do with those who proposed the law,” Ballarati said. “But this shows how the issue has now entered the public domain since we introduced it.”
He also claimed to have recently faced physical attacks by anti-fascist activists, while his university campus was vandalised with threatening graffiti directed at him and other activists.
“I will not be intimidated either by the trial or by the attacks,” he said.
