Wolves of Vinlandis aNorse neopagangroup based in the outskirts ofLynchburg,Virginia.[1]In 2018, theSouthern Poverty Law Centeradded the Wolves of Vinland to itslist of hate groups.
History
editThe Wolves of Vinland raised $3000 onGoFundMeto purchase materials for a Viking-stylelonghall,and accepted donations from white nationalist organizations such asCounter Currents Publishing.Members of the group routinely post photos ofritual animal slaughteronInstagram.Prior to his resignation from the organization in late 2018, authorJack Donovanwas an outspoken supporter of the Wolves, along with Kevin DeAnna, the founder of the now defunctYouth for Western Civilization.[2]One member of the group, Maurice "Hjalti" Michaely, served two years in prison after being found guilty of attemptedchurch arsonagainst theMount Pleasant Baptist Church,a historic Black church inGainesville, Virginia.The fire did not injure anyone, but caused $1 million in damages to the building.[2]
The group has been compared toChuck Palahniuk's novelFight Cluband itsfilm adaptation,and members have quoted the work as an influence, specifically the story's antiheroTyler Durden.[3][4]Members of the group have been associated with thewhite power musicandblack metalscenes inBaltimore, Marylandand elsewhere.[5]
In 2022, two men with ties to Wolves of Vinland and theAsatru Folk Assemblywere arrested and charged with plotting to rob a bank. They reportedly ran aTelegramchannel that engaged in militantaccelerationistrhetoric.[6]
Controversies
editTheSouthern Poverty Law Centerlists the Wolves of Vinland as a "neo-Volkischhate group "[7]and as a "white nationalistgroup ".[8]
References
edit- ^Wallace, Eric (5 May 2015)."Eco Punks: The Wolves of Vinland Baddasses Dare You To Re-Wild Yourself".Blue Ridge Outdoors.Archived fromthe originalon 19 November 2015.
- ^abWoodruff, Betsy (11 November 2015)."Inside Virginia's Church-Burning Werewolf White Supremacist Cult".The Daily Beast.Retrieved8 November2017.
- ^Rodríguez, Luis M. (9 December 2015)."Lobos de Vinland: el Club de la Lucha se hizo tribu pagana".Playground Magazine(in Spanish).
- ^Korfhage, Matthew (17 October 2017)."The Far Right's Strange Obsession with Portland Author Chuck Palahniuk".Willamette Week.Retrieved12 November2017.
- ^"Metal Band's Drummer's Longtime Associations With Hate Group Threaten its Future".Idavox.One People's Project.22 June 2016.Retrieved3 October2016.
- ^"2 Men With Neo-Nazi Ties Arrested in Armed Bank Robbery Scheme".
- ^https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/ideology/neo-volkischSPLC. "Neo-Volkisch". Online. Accessed 6 August 2018
- ^"Active Hate Groups In The United States In 2015".