Far-right groups from across Europe meet in Denmark tomorrow to try to form a pan-European anti-Islamist alliance, a project that will test the cohesion of a fringe trying to build support from fears about immigration and Islamist extremists.
The long-planned gathering of extreme right-wing movements from Nordic countries, Britain, Poland and elsewhere is expected to try to exploit revulsion at the killings of seven people this month by a Muslim of Algerian origin in southwest France.
The meeting, eight months after anti-Islam fanatic Anders Behring Breivik killed 77 people in Norway, will test whether these groups are recovering from the political blow rendered by Breivik and whether they can co-ordinate internationally.
Opponents say the groups, whose members are often associated with violent incidents, are racists seeking to latch on to tensions over immigration in Europe.
Previous attempts by European far-right groups to join forces have foundered amid feuding .
“We hope [the meeting] will be the start of a European movement that will continue to grow,” said Stephen Lennon of the English Defence League. – (Reuters)