The Stephen Graham drama The Walk-In follows the actions of the far-right terrorist group, National Action.
The ITV drama is inspired by real events, but to what extent?
Are National Action real, and are they still active?
Here’s what we know about the neo-Nazi group from The Walk-In…
The Walk-In on ITV1: Are National Action real?
National Action, as featured on ITV‘s The Walk-In, is not fictional – it is a REAL group.
In 2016, the British government banned the group and declared it a terrorist organisation.
Hope Not Hate (the charity which Matthew Collins works for in the show and in real life) describes National Action as “a neo-Nazi group with a hatred for Jews and liberal, democratic and progressive society.”
It is believed that the group formed in 2013 from the youth wing of the British National Party (BNP), who were disillusioned with the party’s less hardline politics.
The group reportedly has 50 to 100 hardcore members, mainly all under the age of 30.
They call themselves “white jihadis”.
What did National Action do?
The group are best known for their online and social media campaigns.
They famously targeted Liverpool MP Luciana Berger with thousands of anti-Semitic tweets in 2014.
National Action member Garron Helm was sentenced to four weeks in prison in 2014 for his involvement in the harassment of the Jewish MP.
The group performs street protests with other far-right groups.
National Action also adopted MP Jo Cox‘s killer, Thomas Mair’s, quote: “Death to traitors, freedom for Britain.”
They use it as a motto online.
In 2018, a court convicted Jack Renshaw, one of National Action’s members, for the planned murder of MP Rosie Cooper.
Are Matthew Collins and Robbie Mullen real?
Matthew Collins (Stephen Graham) is based on a real-life reformed neo-Nazi.
He who now as a journalist, activist, and for the charity Hope Not Hate.
Former National Action member Robbie Mullen, also a real life person, decided to reach out to Matthew about the group’s actions.
Robbie wrote an email to Hope Not Hate which revealed that the group were seriously close to committing murder.
Matthew Collins and Hope Not Hate were able to intercept the plot and save the lives of MP Rosie Cooper and a female police officer.
The police offered Robbie Mullen immunity,.
However, the authorities had to officially register him as a terrorist for joining the group.
He now works for Hope Not Hate with their Director of Education.
He helps prevent vulnerable young people like him from falling into extreme forms of hate.
Read more: The Walk-In on ITV1 with Stephen Graham: start date, cast and plot of true-life drama
The Walk-In: Are National Action still active?
The police arrested and imprisoned many members of the group between 2018 and 2021.
However, Hope Not Hate warn that the threat is still very active.
If police catch any members, they could face up to 10 years in prison.
National Action is currently considered a “dismantled” group.
But it is possible the group still has influence in the far-right sphere.
Professor Matthew Feldman, a leading expert in far-right groups, told The Independent that “lone wolves” from National Action still present a serious threat.
The Walk-In airs on Mondays from October 03 2022 at 9pm. The show is also available to binge watch on the ITV Hub.
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