Facebook is being used to spread the message of a Danish Nazi organisation and attract new members

The chairman of the Nazi organisation – the National Socialist Movement of Denmark (DNSB) – is using the widespread appeal of online social networking to recruit more members to his organisation.

DNSB chairman Jonni Hansen uses his personal profile on social networking website Facebook to post videos and speeches and take part in group debates, according to MetroXpress newspaper.

‘Facebook is perfect for communicating our message to a lot of new people,’ said Hansen. ‘So far, lots of people have written to me asking various questions and we’ve also got some new members.’

The DNSB chairman is not lacking in company on the website, with almost 130 ‘friends’ listed, some of whom appear more extremist than Hansen, whose profile photo features him standing behind a lectern draped in a Danish flag.

One of his online supporters posted a photo of himself masked, clad in black and holding a knife, while giving a Nazi salute in front of the Danish flag. Another uses a swastika image instead of a personal photo.

Rene Karpantschof, a sociologist at the University of Copenhagen who has researched neo Nazism said he was not surprised that Hansen is making use of online media.

‘Jonni Hansen is the leader of a group that tries to mobilise support and attract new members. It’s an obvious move to debut on the most popular social networking site where he can expect to come into contact with sympathisers and spread their message with greater impact.’

The current DNSB organisation was founded in 1991 and can trace its roots back to the Danish Nazi Party of the 1930s. Their controversial radio station has been banned a number of times due to content broadcast, but continues to operate on a private basis. Membership figures for the organisation are not released.