Politics student 'joined neo-Nazi groups and used social media to 'stir up' a race war'


A neo-Nazi student used social media to ‘stir up’ a race war against ethnic minorities, the Old Bailey heard today.

Andrew Dymock, from Bath in Somerset, allegedly promoted the System Resistance Network (SRN) group through a Twitter account and a website. 

Dymock, who studied politics at Aberystwyth University, is on trial on 15 charges, including 12 terrorism-related alleged offences. 

He used online platforms to promote and raise money for SRN, which ‘preached zero-tolerance’ to non-whites, Jewish and Muslim communities and described homosexuality as a ‘disease’, jurors were told.

Jurors were told that in messages to his girlfriend, the 23-year-old joked about their future children ‘bringing Swastika biscuits to school’. 

Dymock held ‘long-standing right wing views’ with Internet searches for extreme bigoted content going back as early as 2014 when he was around 17, the court heard. 

Andrew Dymock (pictured at an earlier hearing) allegedly joined white supremacist groups Sonnenkrieg Division and System Resistance Network

Andrew Dymock (pictured at an earlier hearing) allegedly joined white supremacist groups Sonnenkrieg Division and System Resistance Network

Andrew Dymock denies one charge of encouraging terrorism, three counts of disseminating terrorist publications, four of possession of material of use to a terrorist and two having an explosive substance

Andrew Dymock, of Bath, Somerset, is alleged to have promoted the extreme-right System Resistance Network (SRN) group through his Twitter account and website

The 23-year-old (pictured left outside court at an earlier hearing, and right), denies one charge of encouraging terrorism, three counts of disseminating terrorist publications, four of possession of material of use to a terrorist and two having an explosive substance

Dymock allegedly joined white supremacist groups Sonnenkrieg Division and System Resistance Network (SRN) between 2017 and 2018.

Both groups are inspired by the bloodthirsty ideology of the book Siege by American neo-Nazi James Mason, whose writings Dymock is said to have posted online.

He allegedly created and updated the neo-Nazi website ‘The Lion Rises’ and posted virulent antisemitic content to the SRN’s Twitter account.

Dymock declared that he was ‘1488 until I’m crate’, the number being a code frequently used by NeoNazis to indicate their ideology.

Police found flags, clothing, books and badges all of which had links to far-right groups at his home when they arrested him. 

His laptop contained violently racist songs with lyrics including, ‘killing up and blowing up n*****s is fun, now the racial war has begun’ and ‘it’s the right time to scare the k****s away.’

Jocelyn Ledward, prosecuting said: ‘It is important to recognise from the outset that the defendant is not being prosecuted because he holds racist, anti-Semitic or homophobic beliefs, however much you may disagree with them, or for his adherence to a neo-Nazi creed.

‘Rather he is facing prosecution for his encouragement of terrorist activity, of violence, as a means to shape society in accordance with his beliefs, rather than through free speech and democracy.’ 

The homepage of the Neo-Nazi group SRN declared objective to be the destruction of ‘the system’ and ‘guide the European to his destiny’, before quoting Hitler.

The Lion Rises website, created in 2017, initially promoted Vanguard Britania, the British counterpart to the Neo-Nazi group Vanguard America.

Jurors were told that James Fields Jr, who deliberately drove over protestors in Charlottesville and killed a woman, was part of the American anti-Semetic group.

Mr Ledward added: ‘The prosecution say he used the social media platforms to raise money for the group and to encouraged others to participate in terrorist activity and stir up hatred in their communities.

‘System Resistance Network, or SRN, was a group which preached zero-tolerance to non-whites, Jewish and Muslim communities.

‘The group describes homosexuality as a disease. Its clarion call was for the expulsion of minorities and a white revolution.

‘Its online campaign comprising virulently racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic propaganda sought to stir up a race war against ethnic minorities and others that it perceived as race traitors.

‘It was hostile to democracy, and sought to recruit and radicalise others using violent imagery and hate-filled language on social media and in local communities.’

Dymock, from Bath, Somerset, appearing at Westminster Magistrates Court in December

Dymock, from Bath, Somerset, appearing at Westminster Magistrates Court in December

Jurors heard that SRN was one of the organisations that filled the ‘dubious gap’ left after far-right group National Action was banned in 2016.

SRN’s activities eventually saw it being proscribed as a terrorist organisation and banned from the UK in 2016. 

Dymock denies being behind the online activity, claiming that he has been ‘set up’ by others.

He claims the materials found at his address were for ‘academic’ and personal interests reasons rather than terrorism purposes.

Dymock, from Bath, denies one charge of encouraging terrorism, three counts of disseminating terrorist publications, four of possession of material of use to a terrorist and two having an explosive substance.

The trial continues.  

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