Investigation Finds Organized Fight Events Linked to U.S. Active Clubs in Forests

Videos and photos reviewed by Newsweek show groups of men engaging in organized fights in wooded areas, with some participants wearing face coverings, grappling gloves, or face paint. ' A third, identified as Dagda from Tribal Lands, said, 'I just love to fight,' in a video posted to the Forest Fights USA Telegram page, which received over 46,000 views.

The events, termed 'forest fights,' involve brawls between different Active Clubs. ' Videos depict men grappling, with some falling to the ground and receiving punches to the head and torso, and one showing Dagda on his back with apparent blood on his vest.

state that these events help far-right and white nationalist groups build camaraderie, recruit members, and form real-world networks through combat sports. Active Clubs are described as a transnational network of far-right fitness groups promoted by white supremacist Robert Rundo and Russian neo-Nazi Denis Kapustin since 2020.

Robert Rundo founded the U.S. far-right organization Rise Above Movement (RAM) and was sentenced to prison in 2024 for conspiracy to riot at California political rallies in 2017. The decentralized Active Clubs operate in at least 34 states, engaging in physical training and posting white nationalist propaganda, according to the Counter Extremism Project.

The SPLC designates Patriot Front as a hate group. ' Active Clubs share news stories, quotes from Hitler, and images from training days on their channels.

and videos on Active Club Telegram pages indicate that Patriot Front organized a private combat-sports event in South Carolina in March, called the 'American Muscle' tournament. The Counter Extremism Project reported the event occurred on March 28 and 29 at Dixie Republic, a clothing store in Travelers Rest, South Carolina.

A Telegram post about the event stated, 'Sport is a synthesis of physicality and culture. ' Images showed men in boxing gloves fighting in a ring and others playing musical instruments and singing. Street Fight Club, reportedly linked to a Russian street fighting organization that promotes neo-Nazi and white supremacist symbols, shared videos from the event and stated its members attended.

Active Club members communicate via Telegram chats, sharing activity updates. Posts by Wyoming Active Club showed posters of Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee stabbed on a train in Charlotte, North Carolina, on August 22, 2025, and pronounced dead at the scene.

Decarlos Brown Jr. was charged with her murder. Other posters advertised Patriot Front, highlighting links between Active Clubs and far-right recruitment. The Ohio Nationalist Network also posted about participating in a grocery drive sponsored by Pepper Cave, previously suspended from a farmer's market over reported allegations of antisemitic social media activity.

' Alexandria Olsen, an analyst with the Anti-Defamation League's Center on Extremism, told Newsweek that law enforcement should be aware of large-scale extremist gatherings. The FBI stated to Newsweek, 'The FBI has no comment on the specifics of your inquiry.

increased from 49 in October 2023 to 78 in June 2025, a 59.2 percent rise. GPAHE found at least 19 clubs in 42 states target teen boys aged 15 to 18, with some posting neo-Nazi propaganda. Globally, Active Clubs grew by 25 percent between 2023 and 2025, with 187 chapters in 27 countries as of June 2025, per GPAHE.

The Anti-Defamation League reported over 750 white supremacist incidents between 2020 and 2024, with 282 events in 2023, a 63 percent increase from 173 in 2022. Wendy Via, co-founder of GPAHE, told Newsweek that the movement is transnational, with allied chapters across the Western world.

'They are connected and building networks that do not limit themselves by borders,' she said. Active Clubs in the U.S. collaborate with groups in Canada, as shown by posts indicating Second Sons Canada met with Lone Star Active Club in Dallas and Great Lakes Active Clubs before the American Muscle event.

' A Canadian Security Intelligence Service spokesperson stated that while CSIS may investigate such matters, no further details were provided.