Europe’s Nationalists Clash with Fascist Symbols Amid Migration Crisis
Europe’s nationalist movements face scrutiny as far-right symbols resurface amid rising migration tensions.
5 min read
Europe’s political establishment is facing a growing nationalist backlash over years of permissive immigration policies, with young Europeans taking to the streets to demand tougher borders and an end to mass migration. From Italy to Spain and France, demonstrations have attracted thousands of participants, ranging from conventional conservatives demanding immigration reform to openly fascist organizations embracing the symbols of Europe’s authoritarian past. While some marchers carry torches and perform Roman salutes, others are ordinary nationalists concerned about their countries’ borders, highlighting the distinction between conservative movements and extremist groups seeking to capitalize on public frustration.
Migration Pressures and Rising Tensions
Their concerns about the scale of immigration are backed by official statistics, with asylum applications in the European Union surging from approximately 260,000 in 2010 to more than 1.3 million in 2015, according to the European Council. The influx, driven partly by wars in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, coincided with approximately 1.8 million detected irregular border crossings in 2015 alone, according to the European Council.
The migration pressures persisted into the following decade, with first-time asylum applications climbing to approximately 1.05 million in 2023 after declining during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Eurostat. Although applications declined to approximately 669,400 in 2025, millions of Ukrainians displaced by Russia’s invasion were also living under temporary protection across the bloc, according to the European Council.
Camice nere e saluti romani, la sfilata fascista per Ramelli a Milano https://t.co/bJF1vaD1dD
Fascist Labels and Political Confrontations
The fascist label has also been directed at electoral conservatives, with British Reform UK council leader George Finch alleging he was called a “fascist” before an assault, according to The Guardian.
In Germany, a Guardian opinion column linked opposition to the AfD with combating fascism, although a German court subsequently blocked authorities from designating the entire party as confirmed extremist pending a final ruling, Reuters reported.
Tens of thousands of protesters marched through central London, carrying flags of England and Britain, for a demonstration organized by the anti-immigrant activist Tommy Robinson https://t.co/T8GEzx73KE https://t.co/izDVFt1ZPf
One video uploaded by Italian news agency Repubblica shows what the event looked like.
Riots and Far-Right Symbols in Italy
The nationalist demonstrations take on new significance as widespread unrest grips France and Italy, where rioters looted Milan storefronts, torched vehicles and set the historic city hall in Limoges ablaze during October protests, according to the Associated Press. Some of the “protestors” allegedly crossed the line into terrorism when they decided to openly carry firearms.
In Milan, approximately 2,000 demonstrators marched through the streets on April 29, carrying Italian flags and torches before performing Roman salutes in unison, according to Reuters and ANSA.
Jóvenes manifestantes muestran un bote de gel de baño a los acampados de la Puerta del Sol. https://t.co/o9WwEihnDC
Historical Symbolism and Political Context
One video uploaded by a far-right account on X shows the Roman Salutes at the finale of the march. The video was corroborated and can be seen from a different angle in an article uploaded by Italian news agency La Stampa.
The nighttime procession commemorated Sergio Ramelli, an 18-year-old activist affiliated with the Italian Social Movement’s youth organization who died in 1975 after being attacked by far-left militants. Participants marched in organized columns toward a memorial on Via Paladini, where they conducted a ceremony honoring fallen comrades, according to ANSA.
Another video uploaded by Spanish News agency EuroPress shows the rising tensions at Puerta del Sol.
Far-Right Groups and Public Demonstrations
Among the demonstrators were activists associated with neo-fascist CasaPound Italia and Lealtà Azione, organizations operating within Italy’s nationalist movement. Participants carried a banner honoring fallen comrades, while the procession’s conclusion featured the synchronized fascist-era salute, ANSA reported.
One image posted by ANSA further corroborates the previous video, showing a different angle of the procession finale, complete with Italian flags and Roman salutes.
‼️Cánticos de Cara al Sol y saludos fascistas entre un grupo de asistentes al desfile del 12 de octubre que ha tratado de entrar a la acampada de Sol https://t.co/vhIvcSnSJ6
Political Condemnation and Organizational Capacity
The demonstration was particularly notable for its scale and its participants’ open use of symbols associated with Benito Mussolini’s fascist dictatorship. Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala condemned the Roman salutes while acknowledging Ramelli’s place among the victims of Italy’s historical political violence, according to ANSA.
The Milan gathering was not organized as an immigration protest, however, and its size does not establish that Italy’s neo-fascist organizations are attracting more members than in previous years. Rather, it demonstrates that groups explicitly embracing elements of the country’s fascist history retain the organizational capacity to stage substantial public demonstrations.
Mort de Quentin Deranque : selon la préfecture, 3.200 personnes participent à la marche à Lyon https://t.co/WdJ9gF1Tgd
Immigration Demands and Far-Right Influence
The connection to contemporary immigration politics became much clearer in Rome on June 13, when thousands of demonstrators marched through the Italian capital demanding the remigration of illegal African and Muslim immigrants back to their countries of origin, according to the Associated Press and La Repubblica.
The demonstration included activists from nationalist organizations such as CasaPound and Veneto Fronte Skinheads, with approximately 4,000 participants reported by La Repubblica. Some shouted slogans praising Mussolini and performed Roman salutes during the march, according to the Associated Press and ANSA.
Mort de Quentin Deranque : des torches ont été brandies en hommage au jeune homme à Lyon https://t.co/ZDi7bL6vvD
International Participation and Security Measures
The march also attracted participants from abroad, including representatives of nationalist networks in Poland, Hungary and Spain. Demonstrators carried Italian flags through Rome’s Prati district while police maintained a significant security presence, according to La Repubblica.
Italy’s electoral conservatives and openly fascist street organizations should not be treated as interchangeable. Opposition to illegal immigration, demands for stronger borders and support for deporting people without legal status do not, by themselves, constitute fascism, whereas the groups participating in these demonstrations have openly displayed fascist-era symbolism.
Mort de Quentin Deranque: retour sur cette journée d’hommage à Lyon https://t.co/mYSU3zqExK
Spain and the Rise of Far-Right Youth
Spain has witnessed similarly explicit displays, including one demonstration in which teenagers reportedly constituted much of the crowd.
On May 23, 2025, approximate
Source: Daily Caller
