Canada just arrested “Dark Foreigner,” one of the most influential neo-Nazi propagandists of the past decade.
Patrick Gordon Macdonald, 26, was arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and charged with participating in an activity of a terrorist group, facilitating terrorist activity, and commission of an offense for a terrorist group (wilful promotion of hatred.)
Videos by VICE
Macdonald was first initially identified as the neo-Nazi propagandist “Dark Foreigner” by VICE News in 2021. An investigation exposed Macdonald’s long history of working as essentially the chief propagandist with the neo-Nazi terrorist organization Atomwaffen.
“Mr. Macdonald allegedly helped produce propaganda material for the benefit of the terrorist entity Atomwaffen Division,” reads the RCMP press release. “He allegedly participated in and facilitated the creation, production and distribution of three terrorist propaganda videos.”
“This case is the first in Canada in which an individual advocating a violent far-right ideology has been charged with both terrorism and hate propaganda.”
The RCMP did not comment on VICE News’ original story.
Following the publication of Macdonald’s identity by VICE News, the neo-Nazi was raided by the RCMP in early 2022 and several computers were seized. At the time,Macdonald was living in his parent’s home, where he was running a small graphic design business.
Sources indicated to VICE News that he remained active with the extreme right after he was identified. Earlier this year, the Canadian Anti-Hate Network published an article alleging that he was a member of a Canadian Active Club, a neo-Nazi fitness group.
Macdonald was an immensely influential neo-Nazi propagandist and his work inspired other neo-Nazis and was one of the cornerstones of an aesthetic that became known as “terrorwave.” Macdonald first joined the movement in 2017 via the influential neo-Nazi website Iron March, where he linked up Atomwaffen, an infamous neo-Nazi group connected to multiple murders. Using the alias “Dark Foreigner,” Macdonald quickly became the group’s chief propagandist and created posters and artwork celebrating terrorism, bigotry, and violence.
“Dark Foreigner was a critical figure in the development of the neofascist accelerationism aesthetic,” Matthew Kriner, the managing director of the Accelerationism Research Consortium told VICE News. “His arrest shows that law enforcement in Canada is committed to addressing and disrupting the growing threat of accelerationist violence and hate.
“Dark Foreigner was well connected in accelerationist networks and likely will represent the first of additional investigations and arrests associated with the accelerationist threat.”
Macdonald’s work and influence can still be seen today in the extreme right.
On top of creating artwork and propaganda for these neo-Nazi groups, Macdonald actively helped organize and tried to grow the groups, even traveling internationally to visit neo-Nazis overseas, VICE News has previously reported. Multiple people that Macdonald worked and palled around with would catch terrorism charges in the United Kingdom.
Other unnamed individuals were arrested alongside Macdonald but have not been named nor charged by the RCMP. Canada declared Atomwaffen a terrorist organization in February of 2021.
He will go before a judge later today.
With files from Ben Makuch.
