al-jazeera | “Kampf der Nibelungen” or “Battle of the Nibelungs,” a reference to old Germanic and Norse legends, is beloved by white supremacists from across Europe and beyond – they are both fans and fighters.
With German authorities keeping a close eye on them after banning their previous event in 2019, organisers are planning to stream their far-right fight-night of boxing, kickboxing and mixed martial arts (MMA) online this Saturday.
Observers warn Al Jazeera that Europe’s far-right groups are using combat sports to recruit young men and train them for literal battle in the streets.
“They are violent neo-Nazis training for physical violence,” said Robert Claus, a German journalist and author of a new book on combat sports and the European far right.
The individuals behind Kampf der Nibelungen are violent and “dangerous”, he added.
There is “a very long list of racist attacks which comes out of the network of Kampf der Nibelungen”.
Moreover, Claus is concerned about the longer-term consequences if Kampf der Nibelungen goes ahead as planned.
“They’re showing a middle finger to German authorities,” he said. “If they manage to go ahead and broadcast this event in defiance of German authorities, it undermines the state’s monopoly on violence and the authority of the state.”
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