Dozens of far-right posters have been stuck to lampposts across Manchester, leading users to white supremacist and ‘Neo-Nazi’ chat groups.
The stickers, which have been found on lampposts, signs and bus stops at locations throughout the city, are being used to direct people to designated forums filled with pro-white propaganda.
Deansgate, Princess Street, Oxford Street, Trinity Way and Tibb Street have all been targeted, with stickers found in at least one location on each road.
The chatrooms, which vary depending on the QR code used, include material ranging from advocation of the death penalty to the sale of Nazi-based merchandise.
Stickers on lampposts, signs and bus stops are common in the larger cities of the U.K. They are a form of communication to help advertise businesses, artists and music venues.
However, in recent months, there has been growing notability of political ideologies using this form of communication to target members of the public.
Locations of found stickers in the Manchester area between November 2024 – March 2025.
QR codes from the ‘White Lives Matter’ movement when scanned, transport the viewer into chatrooms where the organisation promotes its ideology of White supremacy and racial conspiracy.
In one of the chat rooms, which was visited by a reporter at Quays News, a video of British Nazi activist Mark Collet preaches their ideology from an undisclosed hall in front of an audience.
He says: “The end goal is white genocide, to replace the indigenous people of every European nation and to ensure that every sovereign, individual nation no longer exists.
“I cannot promise you victory because I have no time machine. I have no way of giving you solid guarantees, but I can say this. Do you have to be ensured victory in order to fight?
“Amongst the flames of multiculturalism there is another flame. The flame of the European people, the flame of our spirit something that lives on inside every man, woman and child of European descent. We’re the guardians, the custodians of that flame”.
The ‘White Lives Matter’ chatroom had 20,000 members at the end of December 2024, it has since grown, to over 22,700.
The British Movement stickers focus primarily on social and political issues, farming and the shortage of food, and capital punishment.
However, the website promotes also racial conspiracies much like the ‘White Lives Matter’ group previously mentioned, it also promotes Nazi merchandise with T-shirts for sale emblazoned with the black sun emblem, a symbol used by Nazi’s and Neo-Nazi groups. The page also promotes martyrdom of the Third Reich and its followers.
One picture shows a group of men with blurred and covered faces holding a Union Jack alongside the infamous ‘black sun’ and British Movement crosshairs flag.
Salford Quays, councillor Paul Heilbron said “Salford Liberal Democrats are committed to tackling hate speech and far-right activity through education, community engagement, and working closely with law enforcement. Raising awareness is key, and I appreciate your work in shining a light on these issues.
“The rise of far-right stickers and associated messaging in Greater Manchester is deeply concerning. Hate and division have no place in our communities. As a Liberal Democrat councillor, I firmly believe that we must actively challenge extremism and promote inclusivity at every level”.
The British Movement have not responded for comment.