If fascism didn’t end in the gas chambers, then it won’t end with a New York Times article. – Joe Mulhall 

The audience at the launch of our new documentary on the Alt-Right all gave a collective sigh of dread as they heard this. It was a strange mix of feeling unsure about how we had got to this point, when the Alt-Right even became “a thing” and much significance and influence the movement had.  

“Undercover in the Alt-Right” follows HOPE not hate researcher Patrik Hermansson’s journey into the heart of the Alt-Right movement where he quickly gains the trust and confidence of Stead Steadman, an organiser with the far-right London Forum. Hermansson’s year in the Alt-Right revealed disturbing information about the Alt-Right, including how their clandestine networks operate, their evocation for nordic mysticism – much like the Nazis – and their international reach that extends to the Trump administration. 

This film is hard to watch with many disturbing scenes: it can make you feel helpless, worried about the world we live in and unsettled by the resurgence of far-right ideology in politics and the mainstream, and the role social media is playing in spreading this hateful ideology.

Fortunately, the majority of people at the London screening felt empowered to take action. There’s been talk of forming local groups where members can exchange their knowledge and understand how best to challenge their racist narrative. This has already taken place in Haringey, North London, where a group of people came together and mapped out how best to build resilience against hate in their local community.

I’ve heard talks of beating the Alt-Right at their own game by co-opting memes – the very tactic the Alt-RIght use to spread extreme messages – and use them to promote collective action and build positive collective change. Time will tell whether this tactic will have more significance than others, but it certainly made me reflect on how we can more creatively use internet culture in this struggle.

I spoke to a couple of people who are planning on writing to their MP and community leaders on the dangers the far-right pose in modern day Britain. 

It’s great to see the power one documentary has in bringing people together and inspiring them to take action.

Candace Houston is our social media officer at HOPE not hate.