Front Burner Fascist fight clubs are growing across Canada
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Jul 23, 2025 Eric Szeto, a CBC investigator, and Mack Lamoureux from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue dive into the alarming rise of so-called 'active clubs' in Canada. Szeto reveals how these groups, masquerading as fitness communities, are deeply connected to white nationalist and neo-Nazi networks. Lamoureux contextualizes their growth within the wider landscape of global far-right extremism. They unpack the clubs' recruitment tactics, use of social media, and the dangerous blend of fitness culture and extremist ideology, highlighting a hidden threat to community safety.
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Active Clubs' Bold Public Presence
- Active clubs in Canada have grown bolder and more public with their extremist activities.
- They operate openly in gyms, parks, and protests while promoting white nationalist messages.
Locating Training in Public Parks
- CBC investigators pinpointed Nationalist 13’s training location to Hamilton’s Gage Park, near a children's garden.
- They found these far-right groups share spaces with local families and community groups, exposing them to the public.
Active Clubs' Origin and Strategy
- Active clubs form a decentralized network modeled after far-right mixed martial arts groups seen in Eastern Europe.
- They combine fitness, aesthetics, propaganda, and community to soften and expand their appeal.