Rise of Visible 'Active Club' Hate Groups in the U.S.

"Active clubs," a strand of the white nationalist movement, have been growing in the U.S. over the past three years, with members organizing and recruiting through combat sports and preparing for politically and racially motivated violence. These decentralized cells, inspired by European far-right extremism, have been targeting LGBTQ events and spreading their message of hate in public. The movement is led by Robert Rundo, who has deepened ties with similar hate groups internationally. While some groups openly embrace neo-Nazism, others have taken a more covert approach. The increased public activity of these active clubs has led to conflicts with other far-right groups, but experts warn that their shared goal of intimidating the LGBTQ community highlights the need to address the rise of extremism in America.