The Sordid History of State Collusion With the Far Right
British security forces colluded with loyalist paramilitaries in Northern Ireland, resulting in hundreds of sectarian murders. This history of state collusion with the far right serves as a cautionary tale for contemporary societies where similar dynamics are emerging.
During the conflict in Northern Ireland, British security forces colluded with loyalist paramilitaries. The loyalist paramilitaries, such as the Ulster Volunteer Force and the Ulster Defence Association, targeted Catholic civilians. The British state treated Irish republicans and loyalists differently, with collaboration operating through informal relationships and avoidance of accountability. Loyalists killed 1,027 people, mostly Catholic civilians, between 1969 and 2001. The British Army's locally recruited militia, the Ulster Defence Regiment, had members who sympathized with or were part of the UDA. This history highlights the dangers of state collusion with far-right groups.
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