Anti-Migrant Vigilantes Rise In Europe, Experts Warn Of Increased Fear And Division

Last Updated:August 30, 2025, 22:29 IST

These groups often attract individuals with criminal histories, using vigilantism to rebrand themselves as protectors of society.

People gather on a street, amid anti-migrant unrest following an attack on an elderly man by unknown assailants earlier in the week, in Torre Pacheco, Spain, July 15, 2025. (Reuters image used for representation)

The increase in anti-migrant vigilante groups across Europe has raised concern, with some groups taking to the streets, marching through cities like Reykjavík and Belfast, claiming to protect citizens from migration.

The groups include vigilantes along the German-Polish border and in Spain, who can be spotted in symbolic attire, such as black shirts or high-visibility vests, and patrol areas, demanding identification from migrants and people of colour.

However, experts believe that their actions can cause more harm than good.

Tore Bjørgo, a lecturer at the University of Oslo, explained, “Most of this is symbolic. They don’t stop migration. They don’t create more safety in the streets. It’s a show for media and often for political purposes." He added that these groups are frequently linked to far-right organisations using vigilante actions to recruit and gain publicity.

For example, in Spain, racist social media posts increased 1,500 per cent before unrest, as monitored by the government. In Poland, citizen border patrols were attributed to political narratives of migration as a menace, evoking the spread of fear.

“Quite a few of the participants are well-known criminals and violent people, so they are generally causing more fear than they are creating a sense of safety," Bjørgo noted.

These groups often attract individuals with criminal histories, using vigilantism to rebrand themselves as protectors of society. This trend has been noted in countries like Iceland, where police reports have linked some vigilantes to threats against critics, including women.

The growth of these vigilantes is heightened by their presence online. Dr. Matthijs Gardenier, a sociologist at Paul-Valéry Montpellier University, noted that their social media activity tends to create public opinion by framing refugees as a security threat instead of humanitarians in need. Consequently, these vigilantes contribute to the increasing call for more stringent border control measures, such as walls and fences.

Long-term, the far-right has the most to gain from the activities of these groups, whose patrols and publicity give the anti-migrant message gas. As Gardenier noted, “Their patrols, their activities, all that they do, are producing spectacular images, a visual show for social media. This framing plays a role in shaping public opinions and to push people to vote for the far right."

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