Soldiers of Odin say they’re disbanding

An anti-immigration white nationalist organization whose appearance at a recent United Conservative Party (UCP) event led to a candidate’s disqualification has disbanded.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, the Soldiers of Odin said it’s “resigning our Edmonton post.” The group takes its name from an antiimmigrant organization founded in Finland in 2015.

Another post on the group’s page said it’s rebranding as “Canadian Infidels.”

Tyson Hunt, who said he’s the Edmonton chapter’s president, confirmed the group is disbanding.

Groups including Progress Alberta and Hate Free YEG released statements welcoming the disbandment, but warned the group will likely continue its activities under new branding.

“This is a victory for everyone who showed up to confront the Soldiers of Odin Edmonton directly,” Progress Alberta’s Duncan Kinney said in a news release issued on Monday.

Hunt said Monday that, despite sharing a name with the European group, the Edmonton Soldiers of Odin are not xenophobic.

“Our group … we’re not anti-immigration, we’re not anti-Muslim, we’re not anti anything but Liberal (party),” he said.

However, the group publicized a Sept. 11 rally at the Commonwealth Community Recreation Centre via a Facebook event page titled “Infidels against Islam.” The event was widely criticized by anti-hate groups and community leaders.

Last week, the UCP disqualified Edmonton-West Henday nomination candidate Lance Coulter after he defended appearing in photos with members of the group at an Oct. 5 constituency association pub night.

“We strongly disagree with your seemingly sympathetic assessment of Soldiers of Odin and are frankly disturbed with your cavalier attitude taken to a hate group attending a United Conservative Party event,” UCP executive director Janice Harrington wrote in a letter to the candidate.

UCP Leader Jason Kenney also denounced the group, saying the party condemns “any group that promotes racial prejudice.”

Hunt said the group had 14 full members at the time of its dissolution.