In England, several members of the terrorist organization National Action have been sentenced to prison. Among them, a former 'Miss Hitler' beauty pageant entrant.
Alice Cutter, Mark Jones, Garry Jack and Connor Scothern were arrested and sentenced for their ties to the far-right terrorist group. Upon hearing this news, many online had a singular question.
There's a 'Miss Hitler' pageant?
breaking this lunchtime: four neo-Nazi “diehards" - including two from West Yorkshire - convicted of being members of the banned terrorist group National Action have been jailed. more soon
— Susie Beever (@SusieMayJourno) June 9, 2020
Every day this year, there's been a news item that crits on both bludgeoning and psychic damages at the same time.
Here's today! https://t.co/DQA7ODLYDJ
— Dr. Alfredo Carpineti 🏳️🌈 (@DrCarpineti) June 9, 2020
Some good news at last 👍😀 https://t.co/DXIq0vxuGv
— Staz Johnson (@StazJohnson) June 9, 2020
The 'Miss Hitler' contest is less of a real thing, and more of an internet meme given a little too much consideration. The idea of this joke was started on a Russian social media website.
Entrants were asked to submit photos and give a pseudonym. Cutter used the name 'Miss Buchenwald', a reference to a World War II death camp.
While an 'official' page was made for the contest, it was quickly shut down when people complained to the webhost. Though not before getting 14 entrants.
And with that, the contest become little more than an internet joke. That is, until its resurgence this year.
So what happened to the former contestant, Alice Cutter?
I do not know what a Miss Hitler is but the fact they said former has the implication that there's a current Miss Hitler.
And I fear to know more cause it's obviously going to be way worst!
— Dr. Alfredo Carpineti 🏳️🌈 (@DrCarpineti) June 9, 2020
miss WHAT 💀 https://t.co/sQs6QKowea
— d'angelo wallace (@dangelno) June 10, 2020
2014 former winner pic.twitter.com/hCG6dGTRdS
— 🇨🇴😍 (@bigrafael76) June 9, 2020
Crazy how in the UK you go to jail for being a Nazi, and here in the US you just become a cop https://t.co/jofXXc2gk2
— SoundCloud Dad Rock (@ricky_teez) June 9, 2020
The group were connected to the National Action, a far-right extremist organization. It was banned by the United Kingdom in 2016, under the country's Terrorism Act.
This might be a little different than you're used to, if you're from the United States of America.
for those confused about how a group can be "banned": the Home Office proscribes terror organisations making it illegal to be a member/be in possession of their material. Britain was the first country to proscribe a right-wing extremist group back in 2016.https://t.co/wJZFS9ly04
— Susie Beever (@SusieMayJourno) June 9, 2020
this is also interesting: a source of mine who researches extreme right-wing terrorism and has a background in policing, on why (according to prosecution) Cutter moved away from West Yorkshire due to the “lack of neo-Nazi activism" pic.twitter.com/gwzFj0pKZL
— Susie Beever (@SusieMayJourno) June 9, 2020
At her trial, Cutter denied being part of the group, despite attending rallies and meetings, and exchanging many texts with members. She acted as a central hub of information, collecting the contact information for members in prison so others could stay in touch.
She was sentenced to three years in prison.
Mark Jones, Cutter's ex-boyfriend was also arrested and placed on trial for his connection to the National Action group. Before joining the group, he was a member of the British National Party's youth division.
Which seems to be a little too common among neo-Nazis.
Today, 4 neo-Nazi National Action members face jail, following the imprisonment of student activist and would-be terrorist Jack Renshaw in 2019. CST's briefing on Renshaw reminds us of the power of the violent rhetoric that permeates Britain's far righthttps://t.co/INRy57ZGrb pic.twitter.com/mDhtySnOxU
— CST (@CST_UK) June 9, 2020
hey, isn't the guy on the right in that BNP Youth video that @Hbomberguy mocked in his Cultural Marxism video back in 2015? https://t.co/Xygzea7l6j
— Кадмій (@kadmii1) June 9, 2020
knew i recognised this guy from somewhere https://t.co/oZua3Fw3PW pic.twitter.com/raxBgXgSZI
— sinéad naoimh ⚧🦀🍾 (@sineadactually) June 9, 2020
The other two members of the group were sentenced to a few years as well, with Jones receiving the longest at five and a half.
The strong return of White nationalism in the last decade is disheartening to say the least. Perhaps this will remind people of the danger of this movement.