Soldiers of Odin
Soldiers of Odin is a Finnish anti-immigrant street-patrol organization founded during the 2015 European migrant crisis.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Soldiers of Odin, commonly abbreviated SOO, is an anti-immigrant street-patrol organization founded in Kemi, Finland, in October 2015. It emerged during the European migrant crisis, when large numbers of asylum seekers were arriving in Finland, and presented itself as a patriotic movement concerned with public safety. Its stated rhetoric has focused on deterring what it describes as Islamist threats, migrant-related crime, and insecurity. The organization has rejected accusations that it is racist, neo-Nazi, or a white-supremacist group, but journalists, researchers, law-enforcement bodies, and anti-extremism organizations have documented links between members or leaders and the far right. The group is associated with founder Mika Ranta, who has been described as a self-declared neo-Nazi and a former member of the Finnish Resistance Movement. Ranta also has a criminal conviction arising from a racially motivated assault committed in 2005. Finnish public broadcaster Yle reported that racism and Nazi sympathies were prevalent among senior members in a private Facebook group. These connections have contributed to concerns that the organization represents anti-immigrant vigilantism rather than a conventional community-safety initiative. The Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League have identified Soldiers of Odin as a hate group, while Finnish security authorities have regarded it as a disturbing extremist phenomenon. The organization gained visibility in 2016 as public debate intensified following high-profile incidents involving migrants and refugees in Europe. It organized or promoted nighttime patrols in Finnish towns and later established affiliated or self-described independent chapters in multiple countries. Its international presence has included Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Canada, Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Denmark, and the Netherlands. The degree of formal coordination between these chapters has varied, and some local groups have denied affiliation with the Finnish or European organization while retaining the same name and visual identity. A recurring feature of the movement has been the use of volunteer patrols and visible community activities as a recruitment and legitimacy strategy. Chapters have claimed to collect discarded needles, assist vulnerable residents, provide informal security, support local charities, or patrol entertainment districts and transport areas. Such activities have often been accompanied by public controversy because critics argue that the patrols intimidate minorities, substitute private groups for the police, or provide a vehicle for far-right organizing. In several countries, authorities and community organizations have emphasized that public order is the responsibility of law-enforcement agencies. The group's online activity has also played an important role. Its Finnish following exceeded 49,000 Facebook likes by December 2017. Reporting has connected the group to the Finnish alternative-media outlet MV-media, whose owner had links to the Russian-backed Donetsk People's Republic. Media reports have also identified alleged participation by Russian nationalist Yan Petrovsky, who was described as an active Odin member and later faced war-crimes allegations in Ukraine. The name has additionally been used in a separate trademark context. In 2016, the Finnish Patent and Registration Office accepted an application to register Soldiers of Odin for clothing, footwear, and headgear. The trademark holder was reported not to be connected to the patrol organization and instead used the name as an anti-racist statement and as criticism of the authorities' decision to accept the name. Because the subject is principally an organization rather than a conventional commercial brand, its commercial ownership, corporate structure, current status, and official website are unclear.
History
Soldiers of Odin was founded in Kemi, Finland, in October 2015, against the backdrop of the European migrant crisis. Its founders and supporters framed the movement as a patriotic response to the arrival of refugees and alleged deterioration in public safety. The name invokes Odin, the Norse god associated with Asgard, and the organization adopted a highly visible street-patrol format. The movement expanded rapidly in 2016. Public concern about sexual assaults in Germany, the killing of a social worker in Sweden, and other incidents involving migrants or refugees helped provide material for its messaging. Soldiers of Odin announced patrols intended to deter crime and protect residents, while critics described the activity as vigilantism. A prominent Finnish controversy followed the group's claim that members had intervened to protect two underage girls from refugee perpetrators. The police and alleged witnesses had no knowledge of the event, and the group later admitted that one member had invented the story. Mika Ranta, the Finnish founder, has been associated with the Finnish Resistance Movement and has described himself as a neo-Nazi, while maintaining that his personal views do not represent every member. Reporting by Yle alleged that racism and Nazi sympathies were widespread among senior members in a private online group. These associations led to condemnation from anti-extremism organizations and concern from Finnish security officials. The Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League classified Soldiers of Odin as a hate group, although the organization rejected that description. During 2016, chapters or affiliated groups appeared in Norway, Sweden, Estonia, Australia, and Canada, followed by activity in several other countries. Local structures were inconsistent. Some chapters openly shared the Finnish movement's anti-immigration message; others claimed to be independent community organizations and emphasized charitable work. In Norway, early organizers included Ronny Alte, previously associated with the Norwegian Defence League and Pegida. In Sweden, the chapter was led by Mikael Johansson, a former member of Nationaldemokraterna. Patrols in both countries encountered opposition from activists, authorities, or local groups. The Australian branch developed out of Reclaim Australia and was formally registered as a Victorian nonprofit association in June 2016. It organized patrols in Melbourne locations including Federation Square, Birrarung Marr, Bourke Street Mall, and near railway stations, presenting them as a response to alleged street crime and gang activity. Although the group received substantial publicity in late 2016, its prominence declined, and by 2020 it was no longer considered a significant Australian far-right organization. Canadian chapters appeared in several provinces and territories in 2016. Some organized patrols, needle collection, charity work, or assistance for people traveling through areas perceived as unsafe. The Sudbury chapter was removed from a soup kitchen after complaints about intimidation. In Vancouver, members were involved in clashes at an anti-racism demonstration in March 2017. A Grande Prairie chapter was later prohibited from holding events at a Royal Canadian Legion facility. The movement's Canadian offshoots also became connected to later far-right activity, including the Northern Guard and participation by some members in the 2022 convoy protest. The organization attracted political and institutional criticism. Finland's interior minister rejected the idea that private patrols should replace official policing. Norwegian authorities gave mixed local responses, while national political leaders distanced themselves from supportive remarks by a Progress Party justice spokesperson. Estonia's prime minister stated that law and order belonged to the police and that self-appointed gangs reduced rather than increased public security. The Soldiers of Odin name was also registered in Finland as a trademark for apparel, footwear, and headgear in 2016. The trademark owner was reported to be unaffiliated with the patrol organization and used the mark to make an anti-racist statement. The organization's present legal structure, leadership, official membership, and operational status are not established by the supplied sources.
- 2022
Canadian members participate in convoy protest
[1]Some Canadian Soldiers of Odin members participated in the 2022 convoy protest.
- 2017
Finnish Facebook following passes 49,000
[1]The organization's Finnish Facebook page had more than 49,000 likes by December.
- 2016
International expansion begins
[1]Chapters or groups using the name appeared in Norway, Sweden, Estonia, Australia, and Canada, with further international activity later reported.
- 2016
Finnish apparel trademark accepted
[1]A separate trademark holder obtained acceptance for the name in clothing, footwear, and headgear categories.
- 2015
Organization founded in Kemi
[1]Soldiers of Odin was established in Kemi, Finland, in October in response to the migrant arrivals associated with the European migrant crisis.
Products and positioning
The organization presents itself as a patriotic, community-safety movement opposed to immigration and alleged Islamist or migrant-related threats. Critics and extremist-monitoring organizations characterize it as an anti-immigrant vigilante network with far-right, racist, and neo-Nazi affiliations.
Controversies
2017
Vancouver anti-racism rally clashes
Members confronted protesters and police during an anti-racism rally, with several taken away in handcuffs.
2017
Police-chief photograph controversy in Sudbury
A photograph of the Greater Sudbury police chief with members caused public backlash; the chief apologized and denied that it represented institutional support.
2016
Fabricated refugee assault intervention claim
The organization announced that members had stopped two refugees from sexually harassing underage girls, but later conceded that a member had fabricated the account and said the member would be expelled.
2016
Reported neo-Nazi and racist connections
Reporting linked founder Mika Ranta and other senior figures to neo-Nazi or far-right networks and described racist and Nazi sympathies among higher-ranking members.
2016
Canadian soup-kitchen exclusion
The Sudbury chapter was barred from a soup kitchen after complaints that its presence intimidated First Nations and Muslim people seeking food.
Marketing campaigns
- 2016Finnish safety patrols
Finland
The organization promoted nighttime street patrols as a way to deter alleged migrant-related crime and Islamist threats.
Outcome. The patrols generated national controversy and criticism from government and security authorities.
- 2016Melbourne safety patrols
Australia
The Australian branch patrolled central Melbourne public spaces and transport areas during heightened political concern about alleged gangs and street crime.
Outcome. The branch received significant press attention but had substantially faded from prominence by 2020.
- 2016Canadian community patrols and volunteering
Canada
Canadian chapters combined street patrols with activities such as collecting discarded needles, helping at community events, supporting children attending summer camps, and restoring a vandalized war monument.
Outcome. Several activities prompted public criticism, and some organizations barred chapters from their facilities or events.
Brand decisions
2016
Expand through international chaptersStrategyBackground
The Finnish group gained momentum during heightened European debate over migration and public safety.
Action taken
Groups using the Soldiers of Odin name appeared across Europe, Australia, and Canada.
Aftermath
Some chapters claimed independence from the Finnish organization, making the movement's formal structure difficult to establish.
2015
Adopt street patrols as the core public-facing activityStrategyBackground
The organization was formed amid concern about refugee arrivals and alleged insecurity.
Action taken
It organized visible patrols and described them as a means of protecting residents and deterring crime.
Aftermath
The approach drove rapid attention but also produced allegations of vigilantism, intimidation, and extremist organizing.
Recent events
- 2017
Facebook following exceeds 49,000 in Finland[1]
Other
The group's Finnish Facebook page had more than 49,000 likes by December 2017.
- 2016
Finnish authorities debate the role of street patrols[1]
Regulation · Other
Initial comments by Finland's police commissioner appeared welcoming, while the interior minister stressed that public order should remain the responsibility of officials.
- 2016
International chapters expand[1]
Other
Groups using the Soldiers of Odin name appeared in Australia, Canada, Norway, Sweden, Estonia, and other countries, frequently organizing patrols and attracting media attention.
- 2016
Finnish trademark application accepted[1]
Other
The Finnish Patent and Registration Office accepted a trademark application for the name for clothing, footwear, and headgear; the holder was reported to be separate from the patrol organization.
- 2015
Soldiers of Odin founded in Kemi during the migrant crisis[1]
Other
The organization was established in Kemi, Finland, in response to the arrival of asylum seekers during the European migrant crisis.
Sources1 sources
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