Situation in Estonia
The context of rightwing extremism is classically divided into two groups. Skinheads are the advocates of the so-called White Power ideology which is racial in nature and emphasizes white supremacy. Neo-Nazis are guided by National Socialist ideology and glorify the Third Reich or in other words the violent regime of National Socialist Germany. Both Skinheads and Neo-Nazis are represented in the rightwing extremist context of Estonia.
It is essential to make the distinction between nationalism and chauvinism. Nationalism deems it important to preserve and develop the culture and uniqueness of one's nation, chauvinism on the other hand elevates one particular nation above all others and considers other nations inferior. Chauvinism has usually racial and xenophobic undertones.
Like their sympathizers in other European states, Estonian rightwing extremists and chauvinists try to gain a firm footing in the political arena of Estonia. Their tactics also include offering simple solutions for potential electors and widespread populist rhetoric.
Some members of the Estonian rightwing extremist circle organise occasionally events that are directly associated with propagating National Socialist ideas. For example, Adolf Hitler's birthday anniversary celebration organised both in Tallinn and Tartu as well as celebrations of other important dates related to the Third Reich ("beer riot" in Munich, Wannsee Conference etc.). Exalting A. Hitler and celebrating the anniversary of the Wannsee conference by a person who wears Estonian national colours and is a member of the Estonian Independence Party is an odd sight. Though the number of active Neo-Nazis in Estonia is only a few dozens and their ideas evoke little response, the aforesaid incidents as well as the participation of individuals who favour or propagate National Socialism and xenophobia at various memorial events has a direct negative impact on Estonia, giving the Russian Federation a chance to present Estonia as a state supporting Nazism in the information warfare targeted against it. With regard to different interpretations of history possible repercussions and impact that they have in the states friendly to Estonia, whose population suffered from Nazi terror during World War II and not from the violence of Soviet occupation, should be taken into account. Unfortunately in the context of Estonia's rightwing extremism there are also individuals who make no distinction between honouring the Estonian military personnel who fought on the German side and exaltation of German National Socialist regime of violence.
"Classical" leftwing extremist movements (anarchists, animal-rights extremists) continue to be marginal non-violent groups in Estonia. However, they might become more active in the coming years, similar to the trends in Europe where leftwing extremists have grown into a bigger problem than rightwing extremism, and this first of all owing to violent demonstrations organised at the time of various international summits. Estonian leftwing extremists may glean "inspiration" from their sympathizers abroad with whom they are together at demonstrations but also from the activity of rightwing extremists to which they decide to respond.
Since the 1990s Estonia has needed to deal with extremist groups and ideas coming from Russia.
In 1996 an extremist movement Russian National Unity (Russian abbreviation RNE), also called Barkashovists after the name of its founder, reached Estonia. Their ideology is Great Russian Chauvinism, based on Russian supremacy over other nationalities and on Russian Orthodox Church. Their group of about 20 members was active in Estonia until 2002, distributing here Barkashovists' newspaper "Russki porjadok" published in Russia and a similar local edition "Kolovrat" (name of the symbol of Barkashovists, similar to swastika). The activities of Barkashovists in Estonia were terminated by criminal proceedings initiated by the Estonian Security Police in 2001 on the basis of the elements of incitement to hatred.
In 2000-2002 the foreign representations of Estonia and Latvia in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kiev and Minsk were attacked by the activists of the Russian National Bolshevist Party (NBP) or Limonovists, as called after the name of its founder. The members of the aforesaid organisation also committed a terrorist act in Latvia, an armed seizure of St. Peter's Church in Riga and hoisting there the Limonovists' flag depicting the hammer and sickle. A similar hoisting of the flag was also planned to be carried out in Estonia in April-May 2007 but Limonovists were detained at the border.
The newspaper of the Limonovists bears a name similar to the Russian hand-grenade "Limonka" and it has been distributed in Estonia as well. Though the Limonovists have not succeeded in setting up a functioning organisation in Estonia - its rudiments were scattered in 2001 due to the counter-activity of the Security Police - they still make their presence felt in the neighbouring states.
In relation to the provocations in 2006 a local Russia-oriented group Notšnoi Dozor came into existence in Estonia. Local means in other words that all the members of Notšnoi Dozor are associated with Estonia and they do not have a direct organisational base in foreign states. More active members however have strong ties with Russia. Since its formation the group has had differing opinions, for which reason it would be hasty to call all its members extremists. Nevertheless, their activity which is directly aimed at rehabilitating Stalinism (e.g. active justification of communism crimes in the form of street actions) and imposing everything of Russian origin can be clearly classified as extremism. Paradoxically, some group members are also active in spreading National Socialist insignia (which they call fascist). The main ideological question is still beyond the members of Notšnoi Dozor: whether in the history of Russia and of the countries once occupied by it "white" traditions and the Russian Orthodox Church should be glorified or whether glory should rather be given to the communists who destroyed them brutally.
The activities of all the above-described groups share common features with extremist activities listed here.