Published: Less than 30 minutes ago
The New Zealand government classifies the American right-wing extremist group Proud Boys as a terrorist group. The neo-Nazi group The base is also classified as terrorist.
The two groups are added to 18 others, including the Islamic State, which have been officially branded as terrorist organizations and are thus banned from recruiting, raising money for or participating in the groups in the country. The authorities will also be obliged to act against them.
It is not known if the groups have any activity in New Zealand, but the nation has become more aware of threats from the far right since the terrorist attack on a mosque in Christchurch where more than 50 people were murdered in 2019.
Proud Boys is one of the groups suspected of participating in and calling for the storming of the Capitol in the United States, and several of its members have been brought to justice. New Zealand writes in its statement to the terrorist classification that the attack on the US Congress building was an act of terrorism.
Proud Boys is already classified as a terrorist group in Canada and neo-Nazi The Base, active in the United States, among others, is branded as a terrorist group in Great Britain, Australia and Canada.