A year of hate: what I learned when I went undercover with the far right

"My aim was to gain intimate insights into the psyche of the far-right and its appeal, not merely report but understand the human elements involved."

"The far-right often views reporters as pawns of a grand conspiracy; to break that barrier, I had to become one of them."

Infiltrating the British far-right, the author—using the alias Chris—spent over a year gathering insights about extremist groups. Engaging with nearly a dozen organizations, including Holocaust deniers and anti-vaccine activists, he aimed to not only report but deeply understand their motivations and dynamics. He discovered that individuals within these movements often mistrust journalists, viewing them as part of a larger conspiracy. This mistrust posed significant challenges in conducting his undercover research, highlighting the complexities of engaging with fringe groups and the human aspects driving their participation.

Read at www.theguardian.com