Soldiers of Odin

Mika Ranta, who, while a self-declared neo-Nazi and member of the Finnish Resistance Movement, maintains that his personal views do not represent the group as a whole. The group is named after Odin, the god that rules Asgard, home of the gods, in Norse mythology.{{Cite news|title=Finland's 'Soldiers of Odin' face off against huggy ladies|url=https://news.yahoo.com/finlands-soldiers-odin-face-off-against-huggy-ladies-035109574.html|work=Yahoo News|date=9 February 2016}}

{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/soldiers-of-odin-the-far-right-groups-in-finland-protecting-women-from-asylum-seekers-a6846341.html|title=Soldiers of Odin: The far-right groups in Finland 'protecting women' from asylum seekers|date=1 February 2016|newspaper=The Independent|language=en|access-date=9 December 2017|quote=The Soldiers of Odin, whose name refers to the Nordic god of war and death, includes known neo-Nazis and followers with criminal records, as well as more typical men.}}{{cite magazine |url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2016/07/19/soldiers_of_odin_at_the_rnc.html|title=Better Know an RNC White Supremacist: Soldiers of Odin|last=Goldberg|first=Michelle|date=19 July 2016|magazine=Slate|language=en|access-date=9 December 2017|quote=Named after the Norse God of war and death, the Soldiers of Odin patrol city streets, on the lookout for dangerous Muslims.}}{{cite web| url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/soldiers-of-odin-europes-notorious-anti-immigration-group-beginning-to-form-cells-in-canada/|title=Soldiers of Odin, Europe's Notorious Anti-Immigration Group, Is Beginning to Form Cells in Canada|last=Lamoureux|first=Mack|date=17 April 2016|publisher=Vice News|language=en|access-date=9 December 2017|quote=Now, the group named for the Norse god of death and war (but also wisdom and culture) has come to Canada.}}{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-far-right-soldiers-of-odin-1.3896175|title=Inside Quebec's far right: Soldiers of Odin leadership shake-up signals return to extremist roots - Montreal|last=Montpetit|first=Jonathan|date=14 December 2016|publisher=CBC.ca|language=en|access-date=9 December 2017|quote=In the early evening darkness, four figures huddled in the parking lot of a Quebec City arena, all wearing black sweatshirts emblazoned with a drawing of Odin, a Norse god of war.}}{{cite web|url=https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/society/2016/1/22/soldiers-of-odin-far-right-summons-norse-mythology-against-refugees|title=Soldiers of Odin: Far-right summons Norse mythology against refugees|last=al-Sahli|first=Nasser|date=21 January 2016|publisher=Al-Araby Al-Jadeed|language=en|access-date=9 December 2017|quote=Hamsfield says these outfits are inciting violence against immigrants, in what he believes may be a precursor to a "clandestine civil war" he says extremist right-wingers are seeking. To him, choosing the name Odin, the old Norse god often associated with war, is no coincidence. In truth, many believe the current tension between some in Nordic communities, and immigrants and refugees, can be traced back to Helsinki, the capital of Finland.}}

Soldiers of Odin gained momentum in 2016 after incidents such as the New Year's Eve sexual assaults in Germany, the January 2016 stabbing death of Alexandra Mezher, a Lebanese social worker in Sweden, and other migrant-related crime incidents. On 15 March 2016, Soldiers of Odin announced on their Facebook page that they had intervened in the attempted sexual harassment of two underage girls. The group also claimed that the perpetrators were two refugees and that the police thanked Soldiers of Odin for their actions. Further investigation revealed that neither the police nor any bystanders had any knowledge of the event. On March 16, 2016, Soldiers of Odin admitted that one of their members fabricated the story. The group apologized for the announcement and said that the member would be expelled.{{Cite news|title=Soldiers of Odin: The far-right groups in Finland 'protecting women' from asylum seekers|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/soldiers-of-odin-the-far-right-groups-in-finland-protecting-women-from-asylum-seekers-a6846341.html|work=The Independent|date=1 February 2016|quote=The Soldiers of Odin, whose name refers to the Nordic god of war and death, includes known neo-Nazis and followers with criminal records, as well as more typical men.}}[https://www.iltalehti.fi/uutiset/a/2016031621281037 Soldiers of Odin myöntää: Ahdistelutarina oli lööperiä - "Pyydämme kaikilta anteeksi"], Iltalehti 16 March 2016. Accessed on 17 March 2016.

The group's number of Facebook likes in Finland alone was more than 49,000 in December 2017.

According to Yle, Soldiers of Odin has connections to the Finnish MV-media alternative media website and has been promised good visibility on the site. MV-media website and its owner Ilja Janitskin have ties to the Russian-backed Donetsk People's Republic.{{cite web|url=https://www.iltalehti.fi/uutiset/a/2016092822385546|title=Janus Putkonen tarjoaa turvapaikkaa MV-lehden Ilja Janitskinille|website=www.iltalehti.fi|access-date=9 April 2019}}

According to IL and Meduza, Yan Petrovsky, Russian nationalist accused of war crimes in Ukraine, was also an active Odin member. He was deported from Norway but arrested in Finland due to charges.{{Cite web |title=Wagneriin kytkeyvän julman sotajoukon ex-komentaja kiinni Suomessa – Nyt reagoi Venäjä |url=https://www.iltalehti.fi/kotimaa/a/a87e52f1-11fc-4ad5-914a-3cac40341001 |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=www.iltalehti.fi |language=fi}}{{Cite web |title=Enemy of the State or its founding element? Yan Petrovsky, Russian nationalist accused of war crimes in Ukraine, was deported from Norway |url=https://meduza.io/en/feature/2017/01/20/enemy-of-the-state-or-its-founding-element |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=Meduza |language=en}}

Soldiers of Odin claims a membership of 600 in Finland. The group also has a presence in Sweden and Norway; however, the Norwegian prime minister condemns the group. The group has a presence in Estonia even though Estonia "has almost no asylum seekers or refugees". Additionally, Soldiers of Odin has a following in the United States, Canada (British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Québec and New Brunswick), England, Belgium, Portugal and Germany.[https://www.foxnews.com/world/vigilantes-begin-patrols-in-norway-amid-migrant-influx Vigilantes begin patrols in Norway amid migrant influx], Associated Press (February 15, 2016).Janis Laizans & Joachim Dagenborg, [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-europe-migrants-vigilantes-idUSKCN0W411Z Anti-immigrant 'Soldiers of Odin' expand from Finland to Nordics, Baltics], Reuters (March 2, 2016).[http://www.adl.org/assets/pdf/combating-hate/Soldiers-of-Odin-USA-Report-web.pdf Soldiers of Odin USA: The Extreme European Anti-Refugee Group Comes to America] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161231044251/http://www.adl.org/assets/pdf/combating-hate/Soldiers-of-Odin-USA-Report-web.pdf |date=31 December 2016 }}, Anti-Defamation League (2016).Ben Makuch, [https://www.vice.com/en/article/soldiers-of-odin-inside-the-extremist-vigilante-group-that-claims-to-be-preserving-canadian-values/ Soldiers of Odin: Inside the extremist vigilante group that claims to be preserving Canadian values], VICE News (February 1, 2017).DBA, [https://www.demorgen.be/nieuws/wie-zijn-de-soldiers-of-odin-de-risicobeweging-die-onze-staatsveiligheid-zorgen-baart-bcc2a5c0/?referer=https://duckduckgo.com/ Wie zijn de Soldiers of Odin, de 'risicobeweging' die onze Staatsveiligheid zorgen baart?] De Morgen, 03 aug. 2016

{{Far-right politics in Australia}}

Soldiers of Odin Australia arose out of the Reclaim Australia group.{{cite web | title=Reclaim Australia, Five Years Later: Where Are They Now? | website=slackbastard | date=9 April 2020 | url=https://slackbastard.anarchobase.com/?p=46107 | access-date=5 April 2021}} It was registered as a non-profit association with the Victorian government in June 2016. Their recruitment rhetoric included exaggerating illegal entry to the country, crime perpetrated by immigrants and the threat of Islamic terrorism, targeting mainly Anglo-Australian men. They also used the "exotic Norse mythology" to attract far-right sympathisers who were willing to take public action.{{cite book | editor-last=Peucker | editor-first=Mario | editor-last2=Smith | editor-first2=Debra | title=The Far-Right in Contemporary Australia | publisher=Springer Singapore |chapter=Far-Right Contestation in Australia: Soldiers of Odin and True Blue Crew| year=2019 | isbn=978-981-13-8350-2 | doi= 10.1007/978-981-13-8351-9_5 |pages=101–125|first=Pam|last=Nilan| s2cid=199297174 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334461933|via =ResearchGate (Full article by request; abstract freely available.)}}

In 2016, the group ran "safety patrols" of Federation Square, Birrarung Marr and Bourke Street Mall, and outside city train stations at night in Melbourne, Victoria to counteract what it claims was the inability of police to protect the public from rising street crime and gangs such as the Apex gang.{{Cite web |url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/vigilantestyle-group-soldiers-of-odin-.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/soldiers-of-odin-arrested-at-anti-racism-rally-in-vancouver-1.4042343 |title=Archived copy |access-date=9 February 2022 |archive-date=9 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220209124639/http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/vigilantestyle-group-soldiers-of-odin-.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/soldiers-of-odin-arrested-at-anti-racism-rally-in-vancouver-1.4042343 |url-status=dead }}

While they attracted significant press coverage in the second half of 2016,{{cite web | last=Elliott | first=Khiara | title=Soldiers of Odin: heroes or vigilantes? | website=CBD News | date=22 October 2016 | url=https://cbdnews.com.au/soldiers-odin-heroes-vigilantes/ | access-date=5 April 2021}}{{cite web | last=Wilson | first=Jason|title=Fear and loathing on the streets: the Soldiers of Odin and the rise of anti-refugee vigilantes| website=The Guardian | date=28 October 2016 | url=http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/oct/28/fear-and-loathing-on-the-streets-the-soldiers-of-odin-and-the-rise-of-anti-refugee-vigilantes | access-date=5 April 2021}}

{{cite web | title=Melbourne patriot group "Soldiers of Odin" walk streets: Protectors or thugs? | website=The Big Smoke | date=28 November 2016 | url=https://www.thebigsmoke.com.au/2016/11/28/melbourne-patriot-group-soldiers-odin-protectors-thugs/ | access-date=5 April 2021}} their presence seemed to have faded fairly quickly, and by 2020 they were no longer deemed a significant far-right group in Australia.{{cite web | title=Reclaim Australia, Five Years Later: Where Are They Now? | website=slackbastard | date=9 April 2020 | url=https://slackbastard.anarchobase.com/?p=46107 | access-date=5 April 2021}}

Cody Sutherland-Jantti of Ontario is one of Canada's founding members.

The Quebec chapter of Soldiers of Odin was established by Dave Tregget, who left to found the anti-immigration group Storm Alliance in 2016.{{cite news

|last = Curtis

|first = Christopher

|title = Far-right group supports federal bid of Trudeau heckler Matthieu Brien

|newspaper = Montreal Gazette

|date = 23 August 2018

|url = https://montrealgazette.com/news/far-right-group-supports-federal-bid-of-trudeau-heckler-matthieu-brien

|access-date = 29 August 2018

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180823013956/https://montrealgazette.com/news/far-right-group-supports-federal-bid-of-trudeau-heckler-matthieu-brien

|archive-date = 2018-08-23

}}

Soldiers of Odin established a group in Yukon, Canada, in 2016.{{cite news|title='Refugee-hating' vigilante group Soldiers of Odin pops up in Yukon|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/soldiers-of-odin-yukon-chapter-1.3852685}}

Soldiers of Odin were seen patrolling the streets of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, in July 2016. The group told the police that they were not "anti-immigration", and the police confirmed the group had not engaged in any criminal activity as of September 2016. The Edmonton police did say that "If they are the Soldiers of Odin like they are in Europe, we are going to be very concerned".{{cite news|title=Soldiers of Odin, dubbed "extreme anti-refugee group", patrol Edmonton streets|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/soldiers-of-odin-dubbed-extreme-anti-refugee-group-patrol-edmonton-streets-1.3745493}}

A soldiers of Odin group began patrols in Grande Prairie, Alberta, where they not only patrol but are involved in helping the community in a variety of ways, including sending children to summer camps {{cite web|url=https://www.mygrandeprairienow.com/event/soldiers-of-odin-send-kids-to-camp-2/|title=Soldiers of Odin, Send Kids to Camp|website=mygrandeprairienow.com|access-date=9 April 2019}} and helping to restore a vandalized war monument.{{cite web|url=https://www.dailyheraldtribune.com/2018/06/24/grande-prairie-war-monument-vandalized/wcm/213a9144-28ea-01a5-bc95-13e361e6fa6b|title=Grande Prairie war monument vandalized|first1=Kevin |last1=Hampson|date=24 June 2018|website=dailyheraldtribune.com|access-date=9 April 2019}} The Grande Prairie chapter's Facebook describes them as "Soldiers of Odin is a charitable non-profit organization in Grand Prairie Alberta, with an eye on the community and helping hands for those in need". In 2019, the group was banned from holding events at the city's chapter of the Royal Canadian Legion, after a directive was issued by the national command.{{cite web |title=Royal Canadian Legion issues directive after Soldiers of Odin event held at Alberta legion |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/5240573/royal-canadian-legion-soldiers-of-odin-grande-prairie/}}

A Soldiers of Odin group began patrols in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in September 2016 but claimed to be independent and not affiliated with racist and biker groups.{{cite news |first=Jon |last=Azpiri |url=http://globalnews.ca/news/2950759/critics-raise-concerns-about-b-c-chapter-of-soldiers-of-odin/ |title=Critics raise concerns about B.C. chapter of Soldiers of Odin |publisher=Global News |date=20 September 2016 }} They have since been spotted at an anti-LGBT protest at the Vancouver Art Gallery on April 10th, 2021. |url=https://wikiphotoevidence118.blogspot.com/2021/05/april-10-2021-vancouver-art-gallery.html

|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/7750646/vancouver-rally-transphobia-misninformation/

A chapter also appeared in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in fall 2016, though they also claimed to be unaffiliated with the European groups.{{cite news |title=Soldiers of Odin Canada says group not the same as what's going on overseas |author=Francois Biber |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/soldiers-of-odin-canada-community-group-watch-1.3761178 |publisher=CBC News |date=September 14, 2016 |access-date=29 March 2017}} The national chapter is based in Gimli, Manitoba. An educator at MacEwan University counters their claims of non-hate stating "Why name yourself after that group, then, if you don't want to be associated with that ideology? If you truly are interested in community safety, community patrols, there's more than enough volunteer organizations that could have been joined."

A chapter of the Soldiers of Odin formed in Sudbury, Ontario, in summer 2016, around the same time that the leader of the Finnish Soldiers of Odin was sentenced for aggravated assault.{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-europe-migrants-vigilantes-sentence-idUSKCN0Y92M4|title=Founder of anti-immigrant "Soldiers of Odin" sentenced for assault|date=18 May 2016|access-date=9 April 2019|via=www.reuters.com}} Members soon began volunteering at a local soup kitchen and cleaning up discarded needles in public parks and trails and posting photos of their efforts on social media in an attempt to recruit new members. Following public outcry, they were banned from the soup kitchen for intimidating First Nations and Muslim members of the community trying to access the soup, they were banned from the soup kitchen. In August 2017, Soldiers of Odin were serving hamburgers at a dedication ceremony for organ donors when Chief Paul Pedersen of the City of Greater Sudbury Police Service posed for a photo with them. Popular backlash against the chief associating with the SOO resulted in a swift apology from the chief in which he said, "This photo should in no way be interpreted as support for this group."{{cite web|url=https://www.thesudburystar.com/2017/08/24/soldiers-of-odin-photo-a-mistake-sudbury-chief/wcm/7afaa86c-cb4b-74d8-b616-3291bef04d72|title=Soldiers of Odin photo a mistake: Sudbury chief|author=Star Staff|date=24 August 2017|website=thesudburystar.com|access-date=9 April 2019}}

A chapter appeared in Sault Ste. Marie in September 2016. A spokesperson for the group said the 11 members would conduct drug needle collection patrols in the city and provide security to a social worker whose work took them into risky areas after dark.{{cite news|last1=Klassen|first1=Jeff|title=Controversial "patrol" group Soldiers of Odin now walks the alleys of the Sault|url=https://www.sootoday.com/local-news/controversial-patrol-group-soldiers-of-odin-now-walks-the-alleys-of-the-sault-13-photos-411314|access-date=17 August 2017|publisher=sootoday.com|date=15 September 2016}}

On 26 March 2017, Soldiers of Odin members clashed with protesters and police at an anti-racism rally in Vancouver, British Columbia. Several were led away in handcuffs after fights broke out.{{cite web|title=Soldiers of Odin arrested at anti-racism rally in Vancouver|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/soldiers-of-odin-arrested-at-anti-racism-rally-in-vancouver-1.4042343|website=CBC|publisher=CBC}}

Joel Angott, the former president of Soldiers of Odin Canada, has said that his group supports "sustainable immigration".{{Cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/soldiers-of-odin-hamilton-1.3707723|title=Controversial Soldiers of Odin group organizing in Hamilton|work=CBC News|access-date=20 September 2017|language=en}} Members of the group participated in the 2022 convoy protest, including Jason LaFace, an organizer for the convoy in Ontario.{{Cite web |title=Convoy's message muddies closer it gets to capital |url=https://kitchener.citynews.ca/local-news/convoys-message-muddies-closer-it-gets-to-capital-4993150 |access-date=2023-03-16 |website=CityNews Kitchener |language=en}} LaFace, who has since claimed to be National President of Soldiers of Odin Canada,{{Cite web |title=freeradiocanada/status/1636321586046197760|url=https://twitter.com/freeradiocanada/status/1636321586046197760?s=20 |access-date=2023-03-16 |website=Twitter |language=en}} had previously publicly shared anti-immigrant sentiments{{Cite web |title=Some trucker convoy organizers have history of white nationalism, racism - National {{!}} Globalnews.ca |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/8543281/covid-trucker-convoy-organizers-hate/ |access-date=2023-03-16 |website=Global News |language=en-US}} and made statements against the Black Lives Matter movement and the LGBT community.{{Cite web |title=BLM, LGBTQ+ are ‘nut bars’, Sudbury a ‘s***hole’, candidate says |url=https://www.sudbury.com/2022-provincial-election-news/blm-lgbtq-are-nut-bars-sudbury-a-shole-candidate-says-5413934 |access-date=2023-03-16 |website=Sudbury.com |language=en}}

The Northern Guard that came up in 2017 are also an offshoot of the Soldiers of Odin according to the Canadian Anti-Hate Network.{{Cite news|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/5473923/maxime-bernier-northern-guard-white-power-sign/|author=Jesse Ferreras|title=Maxime Bernier poses with Northern Guard, one flashing apparent 'white power' sign|publisher=Global News|date=9 July 2019|access-date=11 July 2019}}

The group began patrolling in Norway in February 2016, which was profiled temporarily in the start-up phase by {{ill|Ronny Alte|no}}, a former leader of the Norwegian Defence League and Pegida activist. Among the 14 members several are known members of the extreme far-right and have criminal records.

{{Cite news|title=Her patruljerer "Soldiers of Odin" for første gang i Norge [Here, the "Soldiers of Odin" patrols in Norway for the first time]|url=http://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/asyl-debatten/her-patruljerer-soldiers-of-odin-for-foerste-gang-i-norge/a/23616953/|work=Verdens Gang|date=15 February 2015|language=no}}

{{Cite news|title=Nå har"Odins soldater" etablert seg i Norge. - Vi er snart representert i hver krik og krok av landet|url=http://www.dagbladet.no/2016/01/23/nyheter/innenriks/odins_soldater/hoyreekstremisme/borgervern/42864626/|work=Dagbladet|date=23 January 2016|language=no}}

{{Cite news|title=Alte er kastet ut av Odins soldater [Alte kicked out of Soldiers of Odin]|url=http://www.nrk.no/vestfold/alte-er-kastet-ut-av-odins-soldater-1.12824149|publisher=NRK|date=26 February 2016|language=no}} They were opposed by Osebergskipets venner who turned up dressed as Vikings as a protest against the misuse of traditional symbols.

The group in Sweden have many members who are Neo-Nazis and are convicted of serious crimes.{{Cite news|url=https://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/QlEMnx/soldiers-of-odin-i-slagsmal-i-centrala-goteborg|title=Soldiers of Odin i slagsmål i centrala Göteborg|work=Aftonbladet|access-date=2018-07-25|language=sv}} Several are sentenced for assaulting women.{{cite web |title=De patrullerar som Soldiers of Odin – högerextrema och grovt kriminella |url=http://expo.se/2016/de-patrullerar-som-soldiers-of-odin--hogerextrema-och-grovt-kriminella_7043.html |website=Expo}} The Swedish chapter is headed by Mikael Johansson earlier a member of Nationaldemokraterna.

{{Cite news|title=Soldiers of Odin patrullerade i centrala Göteborg [Soldiers of Odin patrolled in central Gothenburg]|url=https://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/soldiers-of-odin-patrullerade-i-centrala-goteborg/|work=Dagens Nyheter|date=26 March 2016|language=sv}}

The group began patrols in Sweden in March 2016, marching in several cities and towns, however they met with opposition groups and in Gothenburg they themselves had to ask the police for protection of their patrols.

{{Cite news|title=Soldiers of Odin etablerar sig i Sverige - högkvarteret i Finland|url=http://svenska.yle.fi/artikel/2016/04/18/soldiers-odin-etablerar-sig-i-sverige-hogkvarteret-i-finland|work=Yle|date=18 April 2016|language=sv}}

{{Cite news|url=https://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/oRezpW/soldiers-of-odin-drabbade-samman-med-afa|title=Soldiers of Odin drabbade samman med AFA|work=Aftonbladet|access-date=2018-07-25|language=sv}}

The Finnish National Police Commissioner, {{Interlanguage link|Seppo Kolehmainen (police commissioner)|fi|3=Seppo Kolehmainen (poliisi)|lt=Seppo Kolehmainen}}, caused confusion when he initially welcomed the establishment of street patrols. In response, the Minister of the Interior, Petteri Orpo, said, "In Finland it is officials who oversee and take care of order in society. It is a simple matter and we will stick to it."{{cite news|title=Orpo disappointed by police chief's street patrol comments|url=http://yle.fi/uutiset/orpo_disappointed_by_police_chiefs_street_patrol_comments/8574715|work=YLE|date=6 January 2016}} Finnish Security Intelligence Service regards the group as unsettling.{{cite news|title=Yle paljasti Soldiers of Odinin suljetun Facebook-ryhmän kuvia ja viestejä – Supo: "Aineisto puhuu puolestaan"|url=http://www.hs.fi/kotimaa/a1458104039394|date=16 March 2016}}

Norwegian police initially expressed mixed reactions to the group, with some departments announcing that they would send marching members away, while others said the group was unproblematic.{{Cite news|title=Politisjef om Odins soldater: – Uproblematisk at de trygger byer og tettsteder|url=https://www.nrk.no/finnmark/politisjef-om-odins-soldater_-_-uproblematisk-at-de-trygger-byer-og-tettsteder-1.12810642|date=18 February 2016|language=no}} It caused some controversy when Progress Party MP and spokesperson for justice Jan Arild Ellingsen applauded the establishment of the group, saying they should be "praised". Government and party leaders quickly distanced themselves from his comments, stating public security to be the responsibility of the police.{{Cite news|title=Soldiers of Odin create political poison in Norway|url=https://www.thelocal.no/20160224/soldiers-of-odin-create-political-poison-in-norway|work=The Local|date=24 February 2016}}{{Cite news|title=Anti-immigrant 'Soldiers of Odin' expand from Finland to Nordics, Baltics|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-europe-migrants-vigilantes-idUSKCN0W411Z|work=Reuters|date=2 March 2016}}

The Estonian Prime Minister, Taavi Rõivas, criticized the group saying, "In the Republic of Estonia law and order is enforced by the Estonian police. Self-proclaimed gangs do not increase the Estonian people's sense of security in any way; rather the opposite."{{Cite web|url=http://www.baltictimes.com/estonian_pm_condemns_soldiers_of_odin/|title=Estonian PM condemns Soldiers of Odin|website=baltictimes.com|access-date=2016-03-16}}

In spring 2016, the Finnish Patent and Registration Office accepted a request to register "Soldiers of Odin" as a trademark for clothes, footwear and headgear. The owner of the trademark, however, has no connection to the vigilante street patrol group, and is using her brand as a statement against racism and to bring the authorities' decision to accept Soldiers of Odin as a registered organization into question.{{cite news |last=Hallamaa |first=Teemu |url=http://yle.fi/uutiset/soldiers_of_odin_rekisteroitiin_tavaramerkiksi/8886316 |title=Soldiers of Odin rekisteröitiin tavaramerkiksi |publisher=Yle Uutiset |date=16 May 2016 |access-date=17 May 2016 |language=fi }}

{{reflist}}

{{commons category-inline}}

{{Neo-Nazism}}

{{Finnish far right}}

Category:2015 establishments in Finland

Category:Anti-immigration politics in Australia

Category:Anti-immigration politics in Canada

Category:Anti-immigration politics in Europe

Category:Anti-Islam sentiment in Finland

Category:Anti-Islam sentiment in Australia

Category:Anti-Islam sentiment in Canada

Category:Anti-Islam sentiment in Norway

Category:Anti-Islam sentiment in Sweden

Category:European migrant crisis

Category:Far-right politics in Australia

Category:Far-right politics in Canada

Category:Far-right politics in Finland

Category:Far-right politics in Norway

Category:Far-right politics in Sweden

Category:Vigilantes