The German gym fighting the far right with MMA
Key takeaways
- The far right is increasingly using MMA to recruit new members.
- As the evening wears on and the dozen participants break a serious sweat, condensation builds on the windows.
- Martial arts, often tied to football hooligan groups, offer right-wing groups a growing audience of young men.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
The far right is increasingly using MMA to recruit new members. But a gym in Chemnitz, in the east of Germany, is fighting back with a martial arts program focused on diversity and empowerment.
https://p.dw.com/p/5EJ22Athletic Sonnenberg's fight isn't just in the MMA ring Image: Dave Braneck/DWAdvertisement Hip hop blares over speakers, barely eclipsing the ringing thuds of gloves striking focus mitts and bodies dropping onto mats. As the evening wears on and the dozen participants break a serious sweat, condensation builds on the windows. While Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) training at Athletic Sonnenberg resembles many such gyms, members of the Chemnitz sports club see it as a battleground for democracy. "This has a clear political element," Stani, the martial arts coach at Athletic Sonnenberg, told DW. "Lots of martial arts gyms in Saxony are run by right-wingers and there are many right-wing structures in the MMA scene generally." Athletic Sonnenberg is focused on diversity and empowerment. Organizers hope it can stand out in a moment when the far-right is increasingly instrumentalizing sports — and especially MMA — to recruit new members.
Martial arts, often tied to football hooligan groups, offer right-wing groups a growing audience of young men. Many of them might not initially be interested in politics but can be reached via sports. MMA also doubles as direct preparation for violent confrontations with political opponents or police.