RAN LOCAL Violent Right-wing Extremism in the Local Strategy, online event 28-29 September 2020

The challenges faced by local coordinators or authorities when incorporating violent right-wing extremism (VRWE) in their local preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE) strategies and possible ways of overcoming these challenges, were the central topics of this digital RAN LOCAL meeting on 28 and 29 September 2020.

In addition, special attention was given to the ways in which (V)RWE manifests itself in the community and what preferable places for recruitment are (both online and offline). The key outcomes of the discussions are mostly aimed at local P/CVE coordinators but can also be of interest for first-line practitioners such as exit workers, youth workers and social workers who deal with VRWE on a local level.

Dealing with (V)RWE on the local level, reaching out to (V)RWE individuals at an early stage of radicalisation, capturing the online dimension, and combating RWE non-violent but threatening behaviour were the most prominent challenges mentioned.

Practitioners and local coordinators recommended tackling these challenges through the means of investing in understanding and recognising (V)RWE on a local level and finding ways to include online as well as non-violent activities of right-wing extremists in their intervention methods.

This paper captures the highlights of the discussion, which focused on identifying how VRWE is included in local P/CVE strategies and where it manifests itself on a local level. The identified challenges are followed by suggested recommendations to deal with the most important challenges.