New Zealand Designating Two US Groups as Terrorists May Have Global Impact

“New Zealand recently designated two US far-right groups, the Proud Boys and the Base, as terrorist organisations. This puts them in the same category as groups such as the Islamic State and makes it a crime for any New Zealander to support or join the group,” Brian Phillips reports for The Washington Post. “New Zealand’s actions may seem small,” Phillips writes, “but they overlap other actions that make it harder for far-right groups to operate and fundraise around the globe.

“Despite New Zealand’s population of only 5 million and its physical isolation from most developed nations, its designations can have important consequences.

“The Proud Boys and the Base rely on online support, including donations. Groups that depend on donations are more likely to be affected by terrorist designations. As the Christchurch shooting showed, New Zealand has far-right sympathisers, some of whom might have helped finance the Proud Boys or the Base. The designations make such potential donations a serious crime, which could discourage them.”

Phillips is a reader (associate professor) in the department of government at the University of Essex, and a co-author of Insurgent Terrorism.

Original article by Brian Phillips, The Washington Post, July 26, 2022.